With elevated temperatures comes rising danger levels. Warmth has mushed and smooshed the snow surface into sticky, sloppy mashed potatoes.
While the heat messes with our snowpack, it is best to choose conservative objectives. I might suggest checking out the local groomed options at a ski hill!
20+cm overnight and warm temps have created a heavy, moist storm slab that is reactive at all elevations on unsupported rolls and cross-loaded features.
Expect loose snow avalanches in steep terrain as freezing levels continue to rise.
A very productive natural avalanche cycle Sunday morning saw numerous highway-facing paths with new avalanches from sz 2 to 4, failing in the storm snow and digging/gouging into deeper faceted layers at lower elevations.
In the backcountry, numerous pinwheeling and wet/loose avalanches to sz 2.5 were observed at Tree-line and below, gouging deep into the slope in confined gullies.
Anything over 35° with an artificial trigger (human) was avalanching today.
Warmth, new snow, and wind have created widespread 20-40cm storm slabs. Currently these slabs are reactive at all elevations.
A sun crust (Jan 3), down 60-80cm, can be found at and below Tree-line on S-SW aspects. Today's avalanche cycle saw storm slabs stepping down onto this layer.
The Dec 1 surface hoar layer is down ~120cm and is decomposing.
A SW flow from the Pacific is bringing WARM temps, winds, and minor amounts of moisture.
Tonight: clouds with flurries, Alpine low 0°C. Moderate SW ridgetop winds. Freezing level (FZL) 1900m
Mon: Scattered showers. High 4°C. Mod/strong S winds. FZL 3100m.
Tues: Flurries. 5cm. High 2°C. Gusty mod/strong S winds. FZL 3000m.
Wed: Sun and cloud. High 4°C. Mod gusty S winds. FZL 2700m.
