Cloudy weather on Sunday is likely to limit crust warming on sunny slopes. Getting around in the mountains will remain difficult. The weather is more suitable for wandering than for descending couloirs.
Although much of the new snow was sublimated by the strong to extreme wind in the alpine, isolated pockets of reactive wind slabs can be found particularly under terrain breaks and in laterally loaded areas.
No new avalanches reported or observed.
If you go into the backcountry, thanks for sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).
Saturday's sunshine and warmth created a surface crust on the sunny slopes. We found 5 to 10 cm of new snow in areas protected from the wind to the east. This rests on a rain crust that supports the weight of a skier. Skiing is at its best on gentle, protected slopes below the treeline.
Strong to extreme winds from the south-west and then the west greatly affected the alpine and the tree line. Many slopes are bare of snow.
The middle of the snowpack is well consolidated, resting on a combo of facetted grains and crusts.
Synopsis: Mild temperatures for the next few days.
Saturday evening and night: Cloudy. Wind southwest, 30-50 km/h. Low -2. Freezing level at 300 m.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy. Wind northwest, 10 to 20 km/h. Maximum +1. Freezing level at 750 m.
Monday: Sunny. Wind southwest, 15 to 30 km/h. Maximum -1. Freezing level at 600 m.
Tuesday: Alternating sun and clouds. Wind southwest 20 to 40 km. High +4. Freezing level at 2500 m.
For more details, check out the most recent alpine weather forecast.
