Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Inland
New snow and strong wind will form fresh wind slabs in leeward areas at treeline and above. Wet or moist snow is still a concern for sunny or low elevation slopes, especially in the afternoon.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be careful with wind loaded areas, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Sun and daytime warming are factors to keep in mind. Watch for wet snow on sunny aspects and lower elevation slopes.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use extra caution on slopes if the snow is moist or wet.
Avalanche Summary
On Monday widespread loose, wet avalanche activity up to size 2 was reported on all aspects up to 1500 m in the Howson range.
On Sunday there was also a report from the Howson range of a natural, size 2 wind slab release on a wind-loaded, northeast aspect at 2050 m, as well as evidence of previous widespread smaller activity as a result of wind loading.
Last week, on Thursday a widespread natural avalanche cycle (up to size 2), triggered by intense wind loading was reported from the northern part of region.
Snowpack Summary
Rising freezing levels and daytime warming have created moist or wet snow surfaces on all but alpine, northerly aspects where 20 cm up to 50 cm of recent storm snow has been redistributed by strong winds.
Weak layers buried around March 19th are roughly 40 cm below the surface (up to 100 cm in deeper snowpack areas). These weak layers include surface hoar on shaded aspects at high elevations and hard crust layers on solar aspects and below treeline.
Near the bottom of the snowpack, weak and sugary facets are found in shallow, rocky snowpack areas. Storm slabs have stepped down to these facets and producing very large avalanches in northern parts of the region.
Weather Forecast
TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy, light flurries. Accumulation 5-10 cm. Ridge wind strong to extreme, south. Alpine temperature near -4. Freezing level lowering to 600 m.
WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Ridge wind strong to extreme, southeast. Alpine temperature near -4. Freezing level 1500 m. Snow beginning in the evening.
THURSDAY: Flurries ending, mix of sun and cloud. Accumulation 10-15 cm. Ridge wind light to moderate, southwest. Alpine temperature near -5. Freezing level 1100 m.
FRIDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light flurries. Accumulation 2-5 cm. Ridge wind light to moderate, south. Alpine temperature near -5. Freezing level 1100 m.
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New snow and strong winds will form thin slabs in leeward areas near ridge crests and convex features. These slabs may be touchy were they sit on a recent crust.