Spring like conditions below treeline need to be factored into your exit plan from the alpine. Plan to be back to trailheads before the lower elevation snowpack becomes weakened by daytime warming.
Weather Forecast
Cloudy with isolated flurries, light west winds and an alpine temperature of -1C. Friday a mix of sun and cloud, light to moderate NW wind and an alpine temperature of 0C. Strong solar input is expected for Friday.
Snowpack Summary
No overnight freeze leaves below tree line lower elevations weak and isothermal. At higher elevations S through SW winds have redistributed Easter storm snow onto alpine lee features. Cornices are huge and ripe for failure. These large triggers may wake deep persistent weak layers resulting in large avalanches.
Avalanche Summary
Four new slides to size 2 in the highway corridor yesterday all out of solar aspects.
Confidence
Due to the number of field observations
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.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.