Wind loaded features are the primary concern. Watch for wind slabs in sheltered terrain at lower elevations, strong winds may have redistributed snow lower than you would expect.
Reactivity will be greatest where they sit over a surface hoar layer.
Strong to extreme westerly winds have likely stripped west facing slopes and deposited snow lower down on north and east facing slopes.
Watch for mid slope terrain features like rollovers. In sheltered terrain slabs may sit over a layer of reactive surface hoar.
On Friday, wind slabs were reported to size one from natural and human triggers.
If you are heading into the backcountry please consider filling out a Mountain Information Network report.
Strong westerly winds have redistributed recent snow into wind slabs at higher elevations. On south facing slopes wind slab could have formed over a sun crust. A layer of surface hoar down around 30cm can be found in sheltered terrain on all aspects up to 2000m. Reactivity will increase where wind slabs sit over this surface hoar, especially as temperatures increase on Monday and Tuesday.
A weak layer consisting of facets and a crust formed in November is now buried around 60cm deep.
In general, the snowpack is quite weak and faceted with average snowpack depths of around 150cm at treeline.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. Extreme westerly winds ease back to strong. Freezing level below 500 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Moderate westerly winds. Freezing levels around 500 m, high temperatures of -3°C.
Monday
Cloudy with trace amounts of snow expected, or light rain. Strong southwest winds return. Freezing levels rise to 2000 m. High temperatures of +3 °C.
Tuesday
Wet snow and rain continues overnight with another 5 mm forecast, while freezing levels remain elevated around 1800 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
