Recent southerly winds have created fresh wind slabs in the alpine. Watch for persistent slabs to become more reactive if there is a gradual warming trend over the next few days.
Small amounts of new snow over several days and steady southerly winds continue to promote thin wind slab formation in lee terrain.
A buried weak layer of facets and/or surface hoar buried mid-February exists 30 to 50 cm below the snow surface A gradual rise in temperature may consolidate the overlying snow and make layer more reactive.
There has been no new avalanche activity reported in the previous few days. If you do observe an avalanche, consider posting a MIN.
A light amount of recent new snow has buried widespread layer of surface hoar crystals, which sit over a crust on solar aspects and low elevations.
A layer of facets, surface hoar and/or a crust buried mid February is 30 to 50 cm below the snow surface and has been reactive in snowpack tests.
Deeper in the snowpack, a weak layer of facets and a crust from early December can be found. This layer appears to be dormant but is still worth keeping in mind in thin snowpack areas in the alpine.
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy with 2 to 3 cm of snow. 20 to 30 km/h east and southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
Thursday
Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Friday
Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 30 km/h southwest wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
Saturday
Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries. 25 to 45 km/h southwest wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
