If forecast snow materializes, the skiing could be quite good heading in to the weekend. Be cautious as you transition into wind effected terrain.
Weather Forecast
A costal low from northern Californian tracks NE and converges with arctic air North of our region. This will present as an up-slope storm resulting in snow (up to 10 cm Thursday night and an additional 5 cm Friday) with gusting Southerly wind and cooling temps. Overnight alpine temps will be -9, and will remain cool on Friday.
Snowpack Summary
New snow coming in with moderate-strong southerly winds will continue to add to the previous wind slab problem in lee features at treeline and above. These wind slabs have been more reactive on cooler, shaded aspects where they formed on previously faceted surfaces.
Avalanche Summary
A group in at the Fryatt reported a size 1.5 thin windslab on an East aspect in the alpine on Thursday. On Tuesday a road patrol observed a thin slab avalanche that had run size 2 from steep terrain at 2400m on a shaded aspect near Parker Ridge, and a field team triggered a size 1.5 wind slab avalanche on moderate terrain on Mt. Kitchener at 3100m.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
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.