Touchy and growing storm slabs will keep avalanche danger elevated this week. Riding should be great, but a conservative approach is recommended. Stick to simple terrain.
Weather Forecast
WEDNESDAY: continued snowfall throughout the day with 5-10cm of accumulation before tapering off late in the day. Freezing levels are expected to reach 1500m with light southwesterly ridgetop winds. THURSDAY: Periods of snow with 3-5cm of accumulation expected throughout the day. Freezing levels reaching 1700m with light to moderate southwesterly ridgetop winds. FRIDAY: Another 3-5cm of accumulation expected throughout the day. Freezing levels reaching 2000m with light to moderate southwesterly ridgetop winds.
Avalanche Summary
Reports from Monday include a brief natural storm and wind slab avalanche cycle, with avalanches up to Size 2.5 running running early Monday morning in response to snow loading and gusty winds. These fresh storm and wind slabs should increase in size and sensitivity and become much more widespread as they build throughout the week.
Snowpack Summary
20-40 cm thick fresh storm slabs are bonding poorly to on a crust on sun-exposed slopes and surface hoar on shady and sheltered slopes. Thicker and touchier wind slabs are lurking throughout exposed terrain at and above treeline. A couple sun crusts might exist in the top 50 cm on southerly aspects. The surface hoar and/or crust layer which was buried February 10 is now down 70-100cm but triggering this layer has become unlikely. Large cornices have recently been a concern but should also gain strength will colder temperatures.
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.