Watch your overhead hazards and for signs of instability with day time heating. North aspects are still affected by cornices above in the sun.
Weather Forecast
The high pressure ridge will remain for today bringing mostly clear skies and a temperature inversion. A pacific frontal system is to arrive by tomorrow morning bringing light to moderate precipitation into Thursday.
Snowpack Summary
Settled upper snow pack with 5 cm of ski penetration. Sun crust on steep solar aspects. Snow pack is well settled. Profile on Avalanche Crest, 2450m, W asp, 42deg, 194cm snow depth, produced moderate to hard resistant planar results down 18, 27 and 47cm. The Jan 4 layer was down 47cm. On Bonney Glacier 2350m, 356cm depth, Jan 4 layer is down 92cm.
Avalanche Summary
1 natural loose size 1.5 west of the summit on a south aspect
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Wednesday
Problems
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.
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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.