Rising temperatures and the chance for a bit of sunshine on Sunday may be enough to trigger loose wet avalanches on steep slopes facing the sun.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy with sunny breaks. Moderate southwesterly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperature +1. Freezing level rising to around 2100 m.MONDAY: Snow, accumulation 10-15 cm. Moderate to strong northeasterly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperature -2. Freezing level around 1400 m.TUESDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries. Light southwesterly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperature -4. Freezing level around 1500 m.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported in this region on Friday.
Snowpack Summary
5-10 cm recent storm snow and moderate variable winds have formed small wind slabs on a variety of aspects sitting on hard crusts on lee features at treeline and above. Numerous crusts exist within the top 100 cm of the snowpack. A well settled midpack sits above sugary facets in many parts of the region, especially thin snowpack areas.
Problems
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.
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.