Confidence
Fair - Due to limited field observations
Weather Forecast
Sunday: Light snowfall / Light northeast winds / Freezing level at 1200mMonday: Mix of sun and clouds / Light east winds / Freezing level at 1000mTuesday: Mix of sun and cloud / Calm winds / Freezing level at 1300m
Avalanche Summary
Observations have been very limited in recent days; however, I would expect new storm slab instabilities (with potential to at least size 2) in the wake of new snow and wind on Friday night.
Snowpack Summary
At upper elevations moderate to locally heavy amounts of new snow have fallen and have most likely been shifted into deeper wind slabs by steady southwest winds. About 50-90cm below the surface you are likely to find a temperature/sun crust from early April's clear weather. At the same interface you may find a layer of surface hoar on shaded alpine slopes above ~2400m. Although unlikely, avalanches failing at this interface would most likely be large and destructive.Recent snowfall combined with wind have made large cornices bigger and more likely to fail.
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.
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.