Forecast for the Skyline Area Mountains

Brett Kobernik
Issued by Brett Kobernik on
Friday morning, March 20, 2026

Unusually warm temperatures may affect avalanche conditions today and through the weekend.

As things continue to warm through the day today, the avalanche danger will rise to MODERATE above 9500' on slopes that face northwest, north, northeast and east.

If you find yourself punching deep into slushy, sloppy snow, the snowpack is becoming unstable, and you should avoid being on or below steep slopes.

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Weather and Snow

General Conditions: Wow. The temperatures are just crazy. Highs hit 60°F at 9500' on Thursday. Overnight lows are only in the 40s. The snowpack continues to melt out. We have lost about a foot of snow since March 8. Riding conditions are poor with many areas unsupportable where you punch deep into unconsolidated slush.

Mountain Weather: Expect more warm weather today and Saturday with highs into the 60s. Wind from the west will be generally light today, then increase in speed on Saturday. Temperatures will be slightly cooler on Sunday, but only slightly. Weather models are hinting at a possible storm for around April 1st.
Avalanche Problem #1
Wet Snow
Type
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Description

The primary avalanche concern involves buried faceted snow from January that will most likely become damp today and Saturday. This layer has been mostly stable over the last week but as it becomes damp, it may make the snowpack unstable. It is possible that we could see some natural wet avalanches breaking into the old facets. The best strategy for dealing with this is to not overstay your welcome. Get onto the snow early in the day and stay away from steeper terrain as it heats up and gets sloppy.

The reality is that not many people are going to get into avalanche terrain because it's now so difficult to access. You can't get into many of the suspect avalanche paths because access has either melted out or the conditions are so sloppy and unsupportable that it is difficult to travel with skis or machines.

General Announcements
This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.