Only very light snow is expected on Thursday. If more than 10 cm arrives, avalanche danger will be MODERATE.
Weather Forecast
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Flurries with 1 or 2 cm of snow expected.THURSDAY: Light snow, 2-4 cm. Light, possibly moderate southwest winds. Freezing level around 900 m.FRIDAY: Dry with a mix of sun and cloud. Freezing level rising to around 1700 m. Light southwesterly winds.SATURDAY: Dry with a mix of sun and cloud. Freezing level around 1800 m. Light southerly winds.
Avalanche Summary
Explosive control produced small (size 1) slab avalanches on Tuesday. No other avalanches were reported.
Snowpack Summary
Relatively light amounts of moist snow have fallen on a variety of snow surfaces including a crust on steep southerly slopes and possibly weak surface hoar crystals on sheltered and shaded slopes. The new snow may take a little time to bond, especially on northerly aspects at higher elevations.A layer of weak and sugary faceted grains sits on a melt-freeze crust about 50 to 120 cm deep. The layer is likely most prominent in the North Shore Mountains and on north aspects. This layer continues to be reactive in snowpack tests. The problem is not typical for the region and we expect this persistent weak layer to continue to linger.The lower snowpack is generally strong.
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.