Heads up!!! Snowfall and strong winds are expected for Thursday and Friday. Rapid loading overtop of a weak base is a recipe for natural avalanches.
Weather Forecast
The weather is changing. Expect 25-30cm of snow by the end of the day on Thursday. Along with this, the forecast is indicating strong SW winds and temperature of -5c for the alpine for Thursday. Stay tuned as Friday will also bring more snow.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed today.
Snowpack Summary
Heavy snowfall and strong winds are expected for Thursday, changing conditions drastically. The snow and strong winds will add a heavy load to an already weak snowpack. The bottom 50cm of the snowpack is mostly made up of facets. Natural and human avalanche triggering will become likely on Thursday.
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.