Strong winds have created hard wind slabs. Use extra caution in steep wind loaded terrain.
Weather Forecast
An arctic ridge continues to dominate the weather. A mix of sun and cloud with dry conditions and an alpine temperature of -15 is expected for today. Temperatures rise slightly tomorrow as the pressure dips and allows some light precipitation with gusty winds. The ridge takes hold again on Sunday with temperatures plunging into the -20 realm.
Snowpack Summary
The winds have picked up again and hard wind slabs can be expected on glaciers and exposed lee features. Recent storm snow is stabilizing with resistant results in stability tests. The Nov 13 crust, down 1 - 1.5 m is reacting in the hard range to deep tap tests.
Avalanche Summary
Natural avalanche activity has tapered off. A skier triggered a size 1.5 wind slab on the SW aspect of Mt Cheops yesterday at 2300m. Similar wind slabs will likely be reactive to human triggering where they exist in steep terrain that receives heavy wind loading.
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.