Hazard has increased slightly in the alpine due to wind slab development over the past 24hrs. Sheltered areas are still offering great skiing, but carefully evaluate your run if you are choosing to push out into new lines. Lots of tracks out there!
Weather Forecast
No precipitation is expected over the next few days. Winds will continue to be northerly and temperatures in the alpine will range from -8 to -14.
Avalanche Summary
Nothing new.
Snowpack Summary
Surface hoar is present below 2200m in sheltered areas. Surface faceting continues due to persistent cold temperatures. In the alpine significant wind slab development has occurred over the last 48 hours on N and W asp. These slabs also extend just below ridgecrest on E and S aspects. Previously formed buried wind slabs, now down 25 to 55cm are reactive in the moderate to hard range of compression tests. No cracking or whumpfing was observed today.
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.
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.