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General Avalanche Information

This is an archived product. View the most recent forecast.

Author: Ethan Davis

Issued: Friday, April 10, 2026 at 8:32 AM MDT

Expires: Monday, April 13, 2026 at 12:00 PM MDT

The Bottom Line

Active weather will bring thunderstorms, rain, and then snow through the weekend. Precipitation will fall as rain on Friday. Snowlines will drop to around 8,000 feet on Saturday. Natural wet snow avalanches are possible. Avoid steep slopes when rain is falling or where the snowpack is wet, mushy, and unsupportive. You might find triggerable, dry slab avalanches in alpine terrain by Sunday afternoon or Monday morning.

We will update this product on or before Monday, April 13th.

Forecast Discussion

A low pressure system will spin moisture into the area Friday afternoon through Monday. Both wet and dry snow avalanche concerns are on the table, with dry slab avalanches becoming increasingly likely as snow accumulates Sunday afternoon into Monday. Here are some problems to keep in mind:

Wet Loose Avalanches:  Thursday night's cloud cover and mild temperatures prohibited a solid freeze. Friday's warm weather, a chance for thunderstorms, and some rain to 10,000' will continue to add water to the snowpack. Natural and human-triggered wet loose avalanches are possible. Avoid any steep slopes when it's raining or where you're sinking into a wet, mushy, unsupportable snowpack. The time windows for frozen, supportable crusts could be brief or non-existent. There's a lot of uncertainty in the weekend's forecast. Have a Plan B in case the snowpack is a sloppy mess. 

Wet Slab Avalanches: We don't expect widespread wet slab avalanche activity this weekend, but there's a chance of isolated, large, natural or human-triggered wet slabs. These are most likely on shadier (NW-N-NE-E) alpine and upper elevation slopes where the total snow depth exceeds about 4 feet. These slopes have not yet transitioned to a well-drained, "summer" snowpack, meaning liquid water has not reached all the faceted weak layers that plagued us earlier this season. Upper elevation rain may just get us there Friday night or Saturday morning. Accurately predicting when wet slab avalanches will release on individual slopes is challenging at best.  

Dry Slab Avalanches: Snow levels will drop to middle elevations Saturday, just in time for the bulk of the precipitation, which continues through Monday morning. Wind speeds will be light to moderate from the SE-S-SW-W, generally loading shadier NW-N-NE-E aspects at upper elevations. If you're finding >6" of new snow, be on the lookout for freshly formed drifts and slabs. Cracks shooting out from your boards or sled are clear signs you've found a sensitive slab. Large avalanches are unlikely where you find dry, powdery snow.   

Recent Observations: 

 

SNOWPACK AND AVALANCHE GENERAL INFORMATION

Some basic points to remember until you put the sleds and boards away for the summer:

  • Spring weather can rapidly alter snow conditions and snow stability. Think minutes and hours rather than days and weeks.
  • Storm slab and wind slab avalanches are most likely during and immediately following a storm. 
  • Short periods of sunshine after a snowstorm can quickly create wet loose avalanche instabilities.
  • Keep wet slab avalanches in mind, especially during rain events and when we go days without the temperature dropping below freezing. Many shady, upper elevation slopes have not yet gone through a "spring transition". Travel cautiously in this terrain when rain or hot, sunny spells push meltwater deeper into the snowpack. 
  • Give cornices a wide berth and don’t linger beneath them. 
  • Complicated, consequential terrain doesn’t get less complex or serious in the spring and summer. Respect the mountains, maintain safe travel procedures, and keep your guard up.

OBSERVATIONS

Even though we’re done issuing forecasts, we’ll continue posting observations when we get out in the mountains. We encourage you to do the same. Please let everyone know what you’re seeing out there, especially if you see or trigger any avalanches. We’re always trying to collect as much information as possible about large wet slab avalanches (where, when, etc); let us know if you come across any of these beasts in your travels. There are several ways to stay connected and to share what you see:

Submit an Observation:

 

View Observations:

Mountain Weather

Author: Ethan Davis

Issued: Friday, April 10, 2026 at 7:44 AM MDT

A low-pressure trough and associated cold front will bring 0.4-1.3" of SWE or 3-11" of snow through Monday. Snow levels begin as high as 10,000' on Friday afternoon, but steadily cooling temperatures mean most of the precipitation falls as snow above 8,500'. Models predict a short break on Tuesday before snow returns on Wednesday. Some details:

Friday: Temperatures will reach the upper 40s F. It will be partly to mostly cloudy. Winds will blow light to moderate from the S and SW. Warm, moist southerly flow will bring a chance for evening thunderstorms. Light precipitation will fall as rain up to 10,000'. 

Saturday: Temperatures will range from 35 to 40 F. Banded snow showers will bring 0.25-0.5" of SWE along with a chance for afternoon thunderstorms. Snow levels will drop from 8,500' to 7,500' throughout the day. Around 3-5" of snow may accumulate above 8,500' in the Smokys, White Clouds, and Sawtooths. Wind speeds will increase slightly but remain light to moderate from the S and SW. 

Sunday:  Temperatures cool a little, with highs ranging from 32 to 40 F. Expect another 0.25-0.5" of SWE or 2-5" of snow above 7,500'. Winds will blow light to moderate from the SE and S. There's another slight chance for afternoon thunderstorms. 

Monday: High temperatures will hover near or below freezing. Snow showers will bring another 1-3". Winds will blow moderate from the W.

This information is provided by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and describes general backcountry avalanche hazard and conditions. It does not apply to ski areas and highways where avalanche mitigation is conducted.