Thursday saw the development of some small wind slabs, and increased sluffing in steep terrain with the new snow and NE winds. These problems should stabilize quickly but use caution at higher elevations on Friday.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Clearing and cooling trend for Friday as Arctic air pushes down from the north. Day time highs in the alpine in the mid-teens.Check our
weather stations for current conditions.
Snowpack Summary
A few cm of new snow sits over the Jan 6 surface hoar and facets. Wind slabs exist in the alpine. Buried sun crusts exist on steep S/SW aspects. Below 2000m, the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar and facets remains visible down 20-50 cm but is currently dormant. Thin areas are faceting out and weakening.
Avalanche Summary
Lots of loose dry sluffing up to size 1.5 out of steep terrain Thursday as the arctic air pushed into the Rockies and moved the loose snow around in the alpine. Touchy new wind slabs were reported in immediate alpine lee areas on E - SW aspects, also from the NE winds during the day. These were easily triggered by ski cutting near ridge crests.
Confidence
Wind speed and direction is uncertain on Thursday