Storm slabs may remain touchy and have the potential to step down to deeper weak layers. The snowpack will need time to stabilize with all the recent snowfall. Avoidance, conservative terrain selection, and assessments will be important to safely manage the avalanche problems.
Several persistent weak layers are buried in the snowpack. It still may be possible for humans to trigger them, or for storm slab avalanches to step down to them and form very large avalanches.
Around 40 to 60 cm of snow accumulated in the region, forming a widespread natural avalanche cycle. Storm slabs may remain touchy to human traffic on Wednesday. It would be wise to stick to non-avalanche terrain at higher elevations until the snowpack stabilizes. Make assessments as you travel and do so conservatively until there is evidence that the recent snow is bonding.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 10 to 20 cm, moderate to strong southwest wind, alpine temperature -4 C, freezing level 1300 m.
WEDNESDAY: Morning snowfall and afternoon clearing, accumulation 5 cm, light northwest wind, alpine temperature -7 C, freezing level 1000 m.
THURSDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light northwest wind, alpine temperature -12 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
FRIDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 5 cm, moderate southwest wind, alpine temperature -12 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
A widespread natural avalanche cycle occurred in the region on Tuesday with large storm slab avalanches to size 2.5.
Around 40 to 60 cm of snow fell in the region on Tuesday, which formed touchy storm slabs. The slabs may be particularly touchy in exposed lee terrain features, as the snow fell with strong southwest wind.
Deeper in the snowpack, a few layers of weak and feathery surface hoar may still be found around 50 to 150 cm deep. It is unclear whether they are still problematic and if so, how long they will be so for. The base of snowpack is also weak in parts of the region, where it consists of sugary faceted snow around a melt-freeze crust. Until these weak layers can be ruled out, best to travel conservatively.
