Snowfall forecasts are highly uncertain. At the moment it does not look like enough snow will fall to change the hazard level on Tuesday, but backcountry travelers should be keenly aware of localized conditions.
Confidence
Low - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Tuesday will be mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a high near -6 C. Winds will be strong to extreme from the West, and could reach a s high as 140km/h at 3000m. Precipitation forecasts are highly variable, with some models calling for only trace amounts and others calling for up to 20cm by late Wednesday.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed or reported in past 24hrs.
Snowpack Summary
Wind slabs up to 35cm deep are found in various areas of the Alpine from lee-, cross-, and reverse-loading. These slabs are also found in isolated areas at Treeline. Snowpack tests continue to indicate failures in the moderate range down 35cm, as well as on the Nov crust layer buried deeply in the snowpack. Overall the snowpack is very weak and facetted, especially at lower elevations. Avalanches initiated in the upper snowpack will likely step down and involve the entire snowpack.
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.
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.