Overhead hazards such as cornice failures and wet loose avalanches on large alpine slopes will be the primary concern on Sunday. Pay attention to what's above your head and back off of slopes if the snow surface becomes moist.
Recent convective flurries in parts of the region, solar radiation, and light to moderate winds may have formed reactive slabs in isolated alpine locations. Steep, convex slopes below alpine ridgetops are the most likely places to trigger these slabs.
Rapidly rising freezing levels and sunny skies significantly increase the likelihood of cornice failures which are hazardous on their own and can also trigger large avalanches on deeper weak layers that the weight of a single rider would not trigger. Avoid exposure to slopes that have cornices overhead.
Naturally triggered wet loose avalanches are possible, especially on steep solar aspects in the alpine.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Clear / Moderate, southwest ridgetop wind / alpine low temperature 0 / Above freezing layer of air 1000-2000m.
SUNDAY: Sunny with increasing cloudiness in the afternoon. / Moderate, southwest ridgetop wind / alpine high temperature 3 / Freezing level 2100 m.
MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light, northwest ridgetop wind / alpine high temperature 1 / Freezing level 1800 m.
TUESDAY: Sunny / Light, southwest ridgetop wind / alpine high temperature 2 / Freezing level 1900 m.
Small size 1 naturally triggered wind slabs on north aspects and size 1 wet loose avalanches on solar aspects in the alpine were reported on Friday.
On Thursday, a skier triggered a size 2 storm slab avalanche on a southeast aspect in the alpine. The sun had warmed around 20 cm. of convective new snow just enough to react as a soft slab on a steep, convex feature.
Rapidly rising freezing levels and sunny skies are expected to elevate the avalanche hazard through the weekend.
10-20 cm. of recent convective snow and moderate westerly winds have formed fresh wind slabs below alpine ridgetops. Sunny skies are forming sun crusts on solar aspects which are breaking down during the heat of the day and increasing the likelihood for wet loose avalanches. Dry snow still exists on north aspects at upper elevations. Large cornices loom over alpine ridgetops.
Persistent weak layers of surface hoar, crusts, and/or facets 80-120 cm. down have recently been unreactive and no recent avalanches have been reported on these layers.
Big warm ups can awaken dormant weak layers resulting in large avalanches. Steep, rocky, convex terrain with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack are examples of places where triggering these layers are more likely.
Sunshine and warm temperatures often cause large cornice failures which are hazardous on their own and can also trigger large avalanches on deeper weak layers that the weight of a single rider would not trigger.
