Recent new snow combined with wind has promoted wind slab development as well as cornice growth. As the clouds part in the coming days remember that the sun packs a punch this time of year.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: Mix of sun, cloud and isolated flurries / Light southwest wind / Alpine temperature -15 MONDAY: Mix of sun, cloud and isolated flurries / Light to moderate west wind / Alpine temperature -13 TUESDAY: Mix of sun, cloud and isolated flurries / Light moderate west wind / Alpine temperature -14
Avalanche Summary
Recent avalanche activity in the past 3 days has consisted of mainly natural wind and storm slabs to size 1.5 and 2 in the alpine and tree line on south facing and northeast facing slopes.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 60 cm of recent storm snow is settling and has been redistributed into slabs in wind-exposed terrain. Below this is a layer buried mid-February that presents as a sun crust on solar aspects, and spotty surface hoar on sheltered slopes. This layer looks most concerning on on solar aspects where it's associated with with small facets or surface hoar above.There are several deeper layers in the mid-pack that have shown signs of improving but remain on the radar as a low probability to trigger, yet would produce a high consequence avalanche if triggered. We are talking about surface hoar buried back in December and January. Near the base of the snowpack is a November crust combined with loose sugary snow. These layers may "wake-up" with strong inputs such as sustained warming, sustained snowfall, large triggers (e.g. cornice fall, smaller avalanches coming down from above); human triggering is also possible in shallow snowpack areas with variable snow depth and convoluted terrain.
mbender,
Avalanche Canada
