We are expecting a brief, but intense pulse of snow tomorrow afternoon. Watch for changing conditions if this arrives earlier than expected. The hazard levels could get worse quickly if the timing is off.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Another windy night in store. Winds will gust to 65km/hr from the SW. Tomorrow we are expecting 12cm of snow. Mostly in an afternoon pulse, but expect flurries throughout the day. Winds will drop to 10-25km/hr from the SW.
Avalanche Summary
Nothing new today.
Snowpack Summary
Flurries are still adding dribs & drabs of new snow. Winds picked up last night and today which created new windslabs on N-S aspects. These are mostly in the alpine, but may extend to exposed treeline areas. The deeper crusts are still on our radar as the bond appears to be variable. Dig and assess the crust/surface snow interface if traveling on solar 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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.