Recent snow and strong winds are forming small wind slabs over surface hoar and crust.
Watch for signs of instability, like shooting cracks, in steep terrain.
Recent storm snow accumulated in the Pine Pass and McGregors areas, coupled with moderate to strong winds likely formed small slabs at upper elevations. Slabs may be building over a surface hoar layer, making them more reactive.
Around 10 - 15 cm of recent snow is being redistributed by strong southerly winds, building small wind slabs over a layer of surface hoar.
This surface hoar layer sits on a crust found on all slopes except shaded north-facing ones, where there is a mix of soft snow from surface faceting and wind-affected snow in open terrain features.
Strong southerly winds have stripped the snowpack down to hard old surfaces and rock in exposed alpine terrain. Cornices are large and overhanging.
The lower snowpack is well settled, with the mid-December facet/crust layer buried down approximately 100 to 150 cm.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy. 2 to 3 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1100 m.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 3 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.
Friday
Mostly cloudy. 10 - 15 cm of snow. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Saturday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 3 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
