New and building windslab is sitting on a weak, and typically reactive interface on exposed alpine and TL features. Bigger, uniform, and isolated open features have the potential to trigger large avalanches and should be treated very cautiously.
Weather Forecast
Mixing moist pacific air, and a colder Arctic front bringing a little refresh to the the snow through out the forecast region, 8cm by the end of the day Tuesday. Temperatures will continue to drop significantly through the night Tuesday; waking up Wed. morning to more seasonal Jan temperatures, Alp -20C to -16C . Light flurries and westerly winds.
Snowpack Summary
Exposed areas at TL and above have pockets of wind slab, often found sitting on weak facets and surface hoar. The upper snowpack is facetted; like dry sugar in sheltered areas at all elevations. Mid snowpack, a strong crust is providing most of the strength everywhere but BTL. The faceting process (weakening), well underway in the lower snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed or reported.
Confidence
Due to the number and quality of field observations
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.