Storm slabs remain reactive to human triggers and are likely more reactive where snow has been wind affected.
Assess the snow as you travel, and back off if you see signs of instability.
Ongoing flurries and wind will continue producing reactive slabs. As the storm snow settles and consolidates human-triggered avalanches will continue to be reactive especially where a surface hoar layer is present.
On Tuesday numerous natural and human-triggered storm slab avalanches were reported, most were failing within the recent storm snow, with a few larger releases on the surface hoar layer.
This MIN describes the stormy and dynamic conditions experienced on Tuesday
A surface hoar layer buried up to 70 cm deep is the main characteristic of the upper snowpack and has been the failure layer in many recent avalanches. On south-facing slopes this layer is a sun crust.
A melt-freeze crust can be found down 80 to 100 cm that is thin or absent in alpine terrain but thicker and more widespread at treeline and below.
The mid and lower snowpack is generally well-bonded and consolidated, with multiple crust layers present.
Wednesday Night
Cloudy. 3 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Friday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
Saturday
Mix of sun and clouds. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
