While warm temperatures will settle and strengthen the snowpack over time, caution is still advised during the heat of the day. Be especially cautious if you notice a significant increase in ski penetration through out the day. JH
Weather Forecast
Continued warm temperatures through the forecast period, with light to moderate south west wind and scattered clouds. The warm air that was trapped over cooler air on Monday and Tuesday is beginning to mix, expect to see an increasingly normal temperature profile through the week.
Snowpack Summary
Ongoing warm temperatures are causing rapid settlement of the upper snowpack. A surface crust formed Monday night at treeline and below, but had broken down again by midday Tuesday. Windslabs from the extreme W winds last weekend are now difficult to trigger. Down 50 cm is a weak layer in isolated areas, and 1m deep is a faceting rain crust.
Avalanche Summary
No new activity has been observed or reported.
Confidence
Freezing levels are uncertain
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.
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.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.