The storm continues with erratic changes in temperature.
A saturated pack, significant amounts of new snow and rapidly changing temperatures are creating a High Avalanche Hazard.
Allow time for the snowpack to drain and settle - stick to inbounds or low angle terrain if heading out today.
The new snow has seen significant heat and/or rain effect.There is little bond/cohesion with the old surface.Avoid steep terrain - particularly confined and complicated zones until the temperatures drop and the wet snow begins to lock up.
There is a lot of uncertainty about how much wetting yesterdays storm snow has received. There was a distinct period of winds from the SE followed by the N so expect loading around terrain on all aspects.Although it has seen a lot of moisture avoid obvious loading and complex, steep terrain.
A winter snowpack that has multiple crusts and weak layers has now seen a lot of new load in the form of rain and snow. Wet slabs are possible and will persist until the temperatures drop enough to freeze the snow. A thin freeze just on the surface will not be enough to stabilise.Stay out of steep and unconsolidated snow until there is an extended period (24 hrs +) of cooler temperatures.
Limited observations. Local Ski Patrols reported Wind slabs reactive to a single skier in the morning yesterday before the temps increased.
An unstable, complex and changing snowpack in the region. Yesterday saw 20-40cm of new snow in the upper Alpine and High Alpine that became heavy and wet in the afternoon. Strong winds loaded terrain lee to the SE initially.
20-40mm of rain fell onto the snowpack in the lower Alpine and Sub Alpine (approx below 1600m). Completely saturating the snowpack in these areas.
Overnight we have seen rain on snow at all elevations followed by a mix of rain and snow as temperatures have fallen. This has resulted in an upper pack of recently fallen snow that is saturated and bonding poorly to the old surface. The mid and lower pack have also seen significant wetting and this water is still draining from the snowpack.
This is a period of change and instability as well as minimal information. This results in uncertainty - allow time for the snowpack to settle and stabilise.
Temperatures are coming back down with the snow line expected to drop to 1200m this morning. G Nth winds trending G West in the afternoon. The FAFL dropping from 2200 to 1600 to 1200 throughout the day.
Not initially but if and when temps do drop a slick surface will form at lower elevations.
Moderate
New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZ Mountain Safety Council)
