Watch for wind loaded pockets in leeward features at upper elevations.
Expect loose avalanches when the sun hits fresh snow in steep terrain.
Recent snow and wind have formed fresh wind slabs in lee terrain features at upper elevations. Wind slabs may be especially reactive where they sit over a crust.
New snow will be especially sensitive to seeing the sun for the first time.
A small handful of avalanches were reported in the alpine late last week, including:
a remotely skier-triggered size 2 failing on moist snow below the crust, in which another skier was caught but did not sustain any injury
a skier-controlled size 1 wind slab below an convex roll
a natural size 2 storm slab on a steep, west-facing moraine feature
a cornice failure did not propagate any weak layers on the slope below
Up to 20 cm of new snow sits over a widespread melt-freeze crust on all but high north-facing alpine terrain, where snow is dry and wind affected.
Sunday night
Up to 5 cm of new snow at upper elevations. 30 to 50 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.
Monday
A mix of sun and cloud. <20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 2000m.
Tuesday
A mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +3 °C. Freezing level 2300m.
Wednesday
Sunny. 10 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +4 °C. Freezing level 2400m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
