Recent strong winds have created a windslab in the Alpine
This time of year convective flurries can give intense localised snowfall and strong wind gusts that aren't in the weather forecast.
Strong localised winds at ridge top are building a new windslab problem in the alpine. This problem should be isolated to immediate lee features and reactive to human triggering.
A persistent weak layer (PWL), buried March 5th, is now down 50-100cm in the snowpack. Depending on aspect and elevation, this layer may be suncrust, facets and/or surface hoar. There's potential for step-down avalanches to this layer if dry/loose sluffs gather enough mass to overload it.
The sun sure packs a punch this time of year! On Tuesday strong solar triggered a round of loose dry avalanches to sz 1.5 mostly from steep rocky terrain.
Some cornice triggered slabs have been observed over the week aswell.
Convective squalls have incrementally delivered up to 50cm of new snow in the last week. Localized wind redistribution has been isolated to higher alpine features. The March 5th interface, down 50-100cm, consists of a crust &/or surface hoar (3-10mm, largest in the alpine).
Shaded, wind-sheltered areas above 1600m hold loose, dry snow (and great skiing!).
Two persistent weak layers (PWL) of heavily facetted snow from cold temps in Jan/Feb are now buried 120-160cm deep.
Periods of snow and flurries for the next few days.
Tonight Cloudy with snow flurries. Snow: 2-5cms. Alpine low -6°C. Ridge wind SW 15km/hr gusting 45.
Thurs Mix sun & cloud. Alpine high -5°C. Wind SW 20 gusting 45km/h. Freezing Level (FZL) 1300m.
Fri Flurries. 10-15cm. Alpine high -3°C. Ridge winds SW 15-50km/h. FZL 1500m.
Sat Cloudy with flurries, trace snow. Alpine high -6°C. Wind SW 10-30km/h. FZL 1200m.
