Forecasters are still uncomfortable with the basal weakness in large and steep Alpine features, particularly on North aspects. The probability of triggering a slide is low, but consequences remain high.
Weather Forecast
Continued cold temperatures with a range of -32 to -23 for the next 24hrs. Winds will be light to moderate from the North, pushing wind chill values to the extreme. No precipitation is expected for at least the next several days.
Avalanche Summary
Nothing new.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 1cm of new snow overnight. Surface facetting. Sun crusts are present at all elevations on solar aspects and are remaining frozen through the day due to frigid temperatures. Alpine and treeline areas are highly variable in snow cover and condition, but wind slabs dominate the landscape. Basal weaknesses remain.
Problems
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.