Most areas received 6-10″ of new snow in the last 1-2 days, and heavy snow is expected to continue today. Storm totals could be 10-20″ by tonight. The snow is light, dry, and powdery, which is good, but there may also be a freezing rain crust within last night’s new snow. This crust will likely exist up to mountaintop level.

Anywhere the winds have been moving the new snow around you will find fresh hollow wind slabs that will be sensitive and poorly bonded. Natural and Human Triggered avalanches are likely today in terrain steeper than 30 degrees. Safety can be found in dense trees, and low-angle slopes.

Confidence: Low-Moderate

Elevation: From 2,500ft to 4,000ft

Our alpine snowpack in all zones contains one or more rain crusts from mid October. Weak facetted snow has formed above and below the crust, and has been found to be quite sensitive to the weight of our new snow. Any steep, open pockets of snowpack will be ripe to avalanche on this layer, about 30-60cm deep. We expect this October rain crust will be a lasting problem as we go into winter so keep your guard up! This layer exists on all aspects, but observations are limited and uncertainty is high.

What is the best way to manage this risk? We can simply avoid alpine terrain that is about 30 degrees and steeper. Be aware that venturing on these steeper alpine slopes is relatively high risk currently. Persistent slabs require a wide safety buffer.

Another way to reduce your exposure to these deep weak layers would be to stick to areas of deeper snowpack (>1m deep). But be wary of hidden rocks that can act as trigger points, and thin areas around the margins of a slab.