UPDATED 6:12
Reactive storm slabs may build through the day with dry loose power sluffing in steep terrain .
Persistent slabs are best managed through conservative terrain selection.
50-70 cm sits above a crust and isolated surface hoar which has produced natural, remote and rider-trigger avalanches. As the unconsolidated snow settles and forms a slab, a reactive upper snowpack may exist.
Reactive storm slabs will build through the day.
Dry loose power sluffing will likely exist in wind sheltered terrain, especially on steep slopes.
On Monday, a skier triggered storm slab was reported size 1 on an east aspect at 2300 m. Explosive control saw a few slab avalanches up to size 2.5 from easterly-facing terrain above 2300 m. Sluffing was seen on steep terrain features at all elevations.
Fresh storm slabs will build with the new snow on Wednesday. They will likely be reactive if a slab forms, however; dry loose power sluffing may be the name of the game in most places sheltered from the wind.
New snow will bury a variety of snow surfaces including unconsolidated faceted snow, surface hoar and firm wind-pressed snow in open terrain at treeline and above. Dry loose sluffing from steep terrain features is likely.
Down 50 -70 cm, a crust, facet and or surface hoar layer exists. This may become a problem once the snow above starts to stiffen and form a slab.
100+ cm down another surface hoar layer exists that was buried in early December. This seems to be of most concern above 2000 m where a robust crust doesn't exist above it.
Weak basal facets are likely to be found on the ground in shallow snowpack areas.
Tuesday Night
New snow 10-20 cm. Ridgetop wind 15-25 km/h from the west. Treeline temperatures near -13 C.
Wednesday
Cloudy with 5-15 cm of snow. Ridgetop wind 20 km/h from the southeast and treeline temperatures near -12 C.
Thursday
Mix of sun and cloud. Ridgetop wind 10-20 km/h from the southeast. Treeline temperature -10 C.
Friday
New snow 5-10 cm. Ridgetop winds light from the southwest. Treeline temperatures near -3 C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
