New snow sits upon weak, sugary facets. That ain't sweet! This will easily sluff in steep terrain, and natural avalanches can be expected in extreme terrain at upper elevations.
Keep the Jan 30th persistent weak layer in the back of your mind, especially on solar slopes where facets sit on a buried suncrust.
20-50cms of snow overlays a buried persistent weak layer. This weak layer consists of surface hoar, facets and/or a suncrust. It will be most reactive where there is a settled, cohesive slab on top of a crust.
New snow sits on weak sugary crystals from the prolonged dry/cold spell. Expect this new snow to be sluffing naturally from cliffs and steep areas. It will likely also be reactive to rider triggering, especially in steep terrain. Manage your sluff accordingly!
We have observed small (up to size 1) dry loose natural and rider triggered avalanches in steep unsupported terrain this week.
Field teams and MIN reports have observed some whumping and cracking in exposed areas.
Neighbouring operations, particularly to the west, are still reporting rider & remote triggered avalanches on the Jan 30th layer.
5-10cm of new snow sits on a faceted upper snowpack. Open areas in the alpine & treeline had extensive wind affect that is now softening due to surface faceting.
A weak layer of surface hoar, facets and/or suncrust (Jan 30th) is 20-50cm down. This layer has been showing signs of reactivity on solar slopes, where facets sit on a suncrust.
The Jan 7th layer is down 50-80 and is decomposed surface hoar or a thin crust on South and West aspects. This layer has been inactive recently.
A return to a benign weather pattern with light winds and cool temps
Tonight Cloudy with isolated flurries. Alpine low -12°C. Ridge winds E 10km/hr
Mon Mix of sun/cloud. Alp high -9°C. Light ridge wind.
Tues A mix of sun/cloud. Alp high -11°C. Light SE wind.
Wed A mix of sun/cloud. Alp high -8°C. Light SE wind.
