Changes within the snowpack are swift these days. Temperature spikes will cause an almost immediate decrease in snow stability.
Weather Forecast
Spring weather is typically unsettled with frequent, and sometimes dramatic weather changes. In the next while, we are expecting some new snow, but amounts vary. With warm temps, this snow will settle rapidly. Timing will be everything if good turns are the goal. Winds will be light and temps will be around zero for the next few days.
Avalanche Summary
Nothing new from the past few days.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack varies in its stability depending on the day time high, quality of freeze overnight, aspect and influx of new load from snow or rain. In general, as temperatures warm up, stability will decrease. These decreases will be most apparent on solar aspects where the radiation is strong. Cornices could become weak and prone to failure. The timing on this decrease will vary but can be affected by overnight freeze and aspect. Poor freezes mean avalanche danger will increase quickly with warming. Northern aspects are still holding some dry snow at upper elevations but expect a battle up and down from there. The deep persistent weak facets will be with us until the snow is gone. Be sure to asses this layer as you travel. Some good corn is out there if you can get the timing right!! Start early and be home early and avoid the heat of the day.
Problems
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.
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.