New wind slabs may be forming up high. Good riding conditions remain in terrain that has been sheltered from the wind.
Some new snow and southwest wind are forecast, which may form pockets of wind slab immediately adjacent to ridges. Use caution as you enter steep terrain and assess for the bond of this new snow before committing yourself.
A hard melt-freeze crust is found around 40 to 90 cm deep. The concern is where weak layers of surface hoar and/or faceted grains exist above the crust. For areas where either of these weak layers exists above the crust, the possibility remains that riders could trigger large avalanches.
THURSDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 1 to 3 cm, 30 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -6 C.
FRIDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 5 cm, 40 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -5 C, freezing level rising to 1500 m.
SATURDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 10 to 20 cm, 40 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -5 C, freezing level 1500 m.
SUNDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 20 to 40 cm, 40 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -4 C, freezing level 1500 m.
No recent avalanches have been reported in the region.
A bit more snow and southwest wind are forecast for Friday. New wind slabs may form in exposed terrain, particularly in the alpine. In sheltered terrain, soft snow is likely found. You may find this recent snow overlying a hard melt-freeze crust below 1900 m.
Weak layers of feather surface hoar and/or sugary faceted grains may be found above a hard melt-freeze crust around 40 to 90 cm deep. Avalanches were reported on these layers on December 23 and 25.
The base of the snowpack consists of faceted grains and a hard melt-freeze crust from early-November. The most recent activity on this layer was on December 23.
