Carefully assess conditions as you move through terrain. The underlying crust could make both wet loose and wind slab avalanches more likely.
Variable winds mean that wind slabs could be found on all aspects at treeline and above. wind slabs have formed over a smooth crust, as a result they may not bond well.
On Friday our field team observed evidence of a natural storm slab cycle to size 2. These avalanches were generally on northwest aspects at treeline. They ran on a recent crust.
15 to 50cm of recent snow has fallen on a crust that likely extends to mountain tops on all aspects. Southwest winds have likely blown this new snow into wind slabs on north and east aspects in the alpine and scoured or pressed windward slopes. As the freezing level rises moist snow will likely be observed at lower elevations.
The remainder of the snowpack is consolidated and strong.
Check out this MIN from our field team for more details.
Saturday Night
Increasing cloud with light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Moderate to strong northwest winds and temperatures at 1500m around -1.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with up to 5cm of new snow expected. Moderate to strong westerly winds and freezing levels rising to 1400m.
Monday
Cloudy with up to 10cm of new snow expected at higher elevations. Moderate to strong westerly wind and freezing levels rising to 1500m.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy with up to 5cm of new snow expected. Moderate northerly winds and a high of -3 at 1500m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
