Conditions are changing in the alpine, as strong winds out of the SW scour snow from some areas and deposit windslab in others. Pay attention to the texture of the surface snow and avoid steep terrain with wind effect. Ice climbers: gully avalanches may run further than expected given the dry, sugary snow in all the avalanche paths.
Winds reaching 70 km/hr were recorded on Tuesday with the forecast calling for continued strong winds until mid-day Wednesday. This will create windslabs. Initial reports indicate this is primarily in alpine areas, but watch as they may develop at treeline also.
As the wind redistributes the snow and conditions change, this problem may become more reactive. Fresh windslabs may step down to the weak snow on the ground and result in larger, more destructive avalanches. Large open slopes at the treeline and in the alpine remain suspect.
Only small (size 1) windslabs and dry loose (sluffs) were observed today, but lots of blowing snow and spindrift was circulating. No significant avalanches were observed or reported.
Building west winds have blown the surface snow into the lee side of ridge crests and cross-loaded gully features, but slab formation has been limited due to the dry, faceted nature of the blowing snow. Because the middle and base of the snowpack is generally weak, avalanches triggered as a windslab could easily "step down" and release near the ground making for a larger avalanche. An average of 60-100cm of snow can be found at treeline elevations, which is thin.
The wind has finally arrived and will continue to blow strong (60-80 km/hr) from the SW until mid-day on Wednesday when it should taper. Expect just a few centimeters of new snow on Wednesday morning, and temperatures will remain cool, from -5 to -12. Overall an unstable few days ahead with wind as the dominant feature and small amounts of new snow expected.
