Watch for freshly wind loaded features, especially around ridgelines and in steep terrain.
Avoid rocky areas where the snowpack varies from thick to thin - the snowpack is weakest here.
Watch for wind loaded features from west/southwest winds. Take care around ridgelines and wind affected features mid slope. Look for visibly wind affected snow, and back off if you hear drummy hollow sounds.
On Friday natural and skier triggered slabs were reported from steep terrain features at higher elevations to size 2. Check out this MIN from Mt Pattison.
Small loose wet avalanches were also reported on sun affected slopes as skies cleared.
On Thursday several natural and skier triggered slabs were also reported throughout the region to size 2.
On Wednesday explosive and skier triggered avalanches released within the storm snow 40 to 70 cm down; they were up to size 2. Reports suggest some activity occurred on the deeper persistent layers during the last storm, with observations to size 3.
Please continue to post your reports and photos to the Mountain Information Network.
Up to 10 cm of storm snow fell on Saturday, with deeper deposits to be found in wind affected terrain features. These storm slabs build over up to 50 cm of settling snow at higher elevations, tapering rapidly with elevation due to the recent warm temperatures.
Below 1600m new snow may sit directly on a thick melt freeze crust which is helping to strengthen the snowpack.
The lower snowpack is still watched by professionals, the late December crust is down 70 to 120 cm. In the alpine it is thin and breakable. Near the base of the snowpack, a weak facet/crust layer from mid-November can be found. Although triggering these layers is unlikely, they remains a concern for large loads (e.g. cornice failure) or in thin spots. In general, the current snowpack is thinner and weaker than typical.
Saturday Night
Light snowfall tapers off early evening. Freezing levels remain around 500 m. Light to moderate northwest winds.
Sunday
Clearing skies with light to moderate northwest winds. Freezing levels around 500 m. Alpine high of -5 °C. No snowfall expected.
Monday
Cloudy with isolated flurries deliver up to 3 cm. Moderate to strong northwest winds return. Freezing levels around 500 m, alpine high of -5 °C.
Tuesday
Cloudy with isolated flurries possible. Moderate to strong northwest winds. Freezing levels around 500 m, alpine high of -5 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
