Hard wind slabs may persist at all elevations under ongoing cold, windy conditions and may show few, if any, warning signs before being triggered.
Recent wind slab formation has been widespread, particularly in alpine terrain. Hard slabs may be present, capable of propagating farther than usual and showing few warning signs of instability.
Natural avalanche activity has decreased significantly since earlier this week, when strong northeast winds triggered a widespread natural avalanche cycle at treeline and above. However, human-triggered wind slabs remain possible.
Be sure to post your observations to the MIN if you get out!
Snow surfaces have been heavily wind-affected in the alpine and in exposed terrain at treeline and below. Windward slopes are scoured down to old crusts or sastrugi, while leeward slopes have been heavily loaded, forming firm wind slabs.
In isolated, wind-sheltered terrain, 20 to 60 cm of snow may sit atop a crust and/or surface hoar, primarily at treeline and below.
A January crust with associated facets is buried roughly 100 to 200 cm below the surface. Below, the remainder of the snowpack is generally well settled and well bonded.
Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy. Trace amounts of snow. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -14 °C.
Friday
Mix of sun and clouds. Trace amounts of snow. 10 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.
Saturday
Mix of sun and clouds. Trace amounts cm of snow. 30 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. Up to to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -15 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
