Fresh snow brings fresh potential for reactive wind slabs to build. Watch for wind affected snow as you move to higher elevations.
Cornices remain a hazard - manage your exposure as you move below them on slopes, and as you travel along ridgelines.
Expect reactive wind slabs to form with new snow and south-southeast winds. Watch for wind loading around ridgelines and mid slope rollovers.
Cornices may be weak and reactive to human triggers. They are a significant hazard alone, and may produce large slab avalanches as they fall onto the slope below. Cornice falls are more likely as temperatures warm each day, or when strong sunshine is present.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy. Moderate south/south easterly winds. Freezing levels fall to 1000 m by morning.
MONDAY: Snow begins early morning with 5-10 cm expected. Freezing levels reach 1500 m. Strong southeast winds ease over the day. A further 10-20 cm is possible overnight.
TUESDAY: Cloudy up to 5 cm of snow over the day. Freezing levels reach 1000 m. Moderate westerly winds.
WEDNESDAY: Clearing skies with no snowfall expected. Moderate easterly winds. Freezing levels rise to 1300 m.
On Saturday, small wet avalanches were reported on south facing terrain features, during strong afternoon sunshine.
Several cornice falls have been reported over the last 5 days, indicating that they are weak and responsive to natural and human triggers.
Up to 10 cm of new snow is expected by Monday afternoon. This is expected to form small wind slabs in exposed terrain features at higher elevations, mainly on west and north facing slopes, as strong south-southeast winds are forecast. These wind slabs will form over wind affected surfaces, and on a crust on south facing slopes.
The mid and lower snowpack is considered strong at this time, consisting of hard snow and melt freeze crusts.
