More snow and high freezing levels today means we can expect both natural and human triggered avalanches. Stick to simple terrain & limit your exposure to overhead hazard
Weather Forecast
Flurries should bring another 5-10cm today with moderate southerly winds & freezing levels climbing to 1800m. More snow is expected over the next few days, with 10cm on Tuesday,15 Wednesday & 5 Thursday! The bad news is that freezing levels will increase each day, reaching 2000m by Wednesday, which could likely mean rain below treeline.
Snowpack Summary
The recent storm has deposited 75 cm of new snow over the last 3 days. Warm temperatures have rapidly settled this snow with the surface becoming moist up to 1900m. In the alpine steady ridgetop winds have been creating windslab. The late Feb crusts are buried 70-120cm deep on solar aspects depending on elevation.
Avalanche Summary
Natural and artillery triggered avalanches to size 4 ran full path to the valley floor yesterday. As freezing levels remain high and the snow/rain will continue Natural avalanche activity will continue throughout today. Human-triggered avalanches are likely at all elevations.
Confidence
Freezing levels are 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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.