Riding conditions are improving but don't let your guard down, especially in wind loaded terrain.
Confidence
Moderate - Due to the number and quality of field observations
Weather Forecast
A brief break Friday before the snow starts again on Saturday. FRIDAY: clearing, light southeast winds, freezing level 1000m, SATURDAY: light snow, moderate southwest winds, freezing level 1000m. SUNDAY: up to 10cm new snow, light southwest winds, freezing level 800m.
Avalanche Summary
Natural avalanche activity is expected to slow as conditions continue to dry out and cool off over the next couple of days.
Snowpack Summary
Over a meter of new snow has fallen in the high alpine since the weekend. Bellow 2200m the more recent storm snow overlies a saturated snowpack and perhaps a fresh rain crust. Southwesterly winds are loading lee features at ridgetop. Below tree-line snow depths are probably still below threshold for avalanches although I expect we may be crossing that line soon.
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.