Regions
Northwest Inland.
Watch for wind slabs immediately below ridge crest.
Confidence
Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Wednesday
Weather Forecast
Tuesday: Trace amount of snow. Freezing level rising to around 1300m. Winds light S/SW at all elevations.Wednesday: 2 to 10cm of new snow. Light S winds at treeline, Strong to extreme SW winds at ridgetop. Freezing level starting at valley bottom, rising to 1200m in the afternoon.Thursday: Scattered flurries. Strong SW winds at all elevations. Freezing level holding at 1700m.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous size 1 loose wet avalanches were reported on Saturday. They failed in steep rocky terrain in response to warming and solar radiation. On Sunday cornice failures to size 2 were reported.
Snowpack Summary
Light accumulations from Friday may now exist as a soft wind slab in high elevation lee terrain. The new snow overlies older wind slabs, crusts and wind-scoured surfaces. Sun-exposed slopes and lower elevation areas are likely in a spring melt-freeze cycle. Weaknesses buried in the upper snowpack may include hard crusts and/or facet crystals, although not much is known about the reactivity or spatial distribution of this layer. At the base of the snowpack, weak facets may be found. Cornices are large and potentially fragile.
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.