Regions
Northwest Inland.
Outflow winds continue to redistribute loose snow and impact exposed areas at higher elevations. Be cautious as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
Confidence
Moderate - Wind effect is extremely variable
Weather Forecast
MONDAY NIGHT: Clear. Alpine temperatures near -14C. Ridgetop winds moderate to strong from the east.TUESDAY: Sunny with cloudy periods. Alpine temperatures near -5C. Ridgetop winds light to moderate from the east.WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Alpine temperatures near -6C, freezing level rising to 800 m. Ridgetop winds light with moderate to strong gusts from the northeast.THURSDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Alpine temperatures near -4C. Ridgetop winds light occasionally gusting moderate to strong from the east.
Avalanche Summary
On Saturday, small size 1 avalanches were spotted in wind-pressed features. On Sunday, a few small size 1 slabs were reactive to skier traffic. Loose dry snow is sloughing in steep terrain.A few small wind slab avalanches were triggered by skiers and naturally on Wednesday. These avalanches were reported occurring in steep terrain, at treeline and alpine elevations. The slabs were generally 10 to 20 cm deep.
Snowpack Summary
Around 30 cm recent snow is being redistributed by wind, with the largest impact in alpine terrain and exposed terrain at treeline.Over the weekend, winds shifted from west to east, expect to find new wind slabs on various aspects and in cross-loaded terrain features. In sheltered areas at and below treeline, the new snow has buried spotty pockets of feathery surface hoar crystals and soft, faceted snow.In the south of the region, the lower snowpack is well-settled. In the north of the region, around 50 cm of snow may overly a weak layer of surface hoar or faceted grains.
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.