The skiing is rugged due to an extended period of strong winds. And with no significant precipitation in the forecast, this condition is not likely to change in the short term.
Weather Forecast
Temperatures will cool slightly on Wednesday, but the winds remain in the strong range out of the West. Only very light precipitation is expected over the next several days with accumulation likely less than 5cm through Friday.
Avalanche Summary
Nothing new in the past 48 hours.
Snowpack Summary
Variable new snow amounts with up to 4cm over the last 48 hours. Isolated wind slab development still occurring, but due to extended periods of windy conditions most windward slopes are bare rock. Hard slabs dominate the alpine with pockets of both hard and soft slabs present at treeline. The Jan 6 surface hoar layer is still being found in sheltered locations at lower elevations. This layer is still producing shears in stability tests, and is something to watch for in steep terrain at treeline and below, especially on N and E aspects.
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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.