Conditions are changing in the alpine. Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Weather Forecast
Precipitation to continue through the week, with amounts up to 25cm over the next 72hours. Temps cooling gradually and freezing levels sinking down to 1000m by Friday. Winds will be moderate to strong from the Southwest.
Snowpack Summary
Moist HST to 2500m ranging from 10-20cm, with heavier amounts to the South. Multiple surface and buried wind slabs overlying a variety of faceted weaknesses to ground. Extensive scouring and wind affect in the alpine.
Avalanche Summary
Only small loose slides observed out of steep rocky terrain at treeline and lower elevations. Poor visibility in the alpine today.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.
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.