Good skiing to be found in sheltered areas TL and below!
Weather Forecast
Sighhhhhhh! No new snow expected for the foreseeable future. A very stable weather system is upon us for Monday. Broken skies, cold temps. Get out there and enjoy the great skiing in the sheltered areas.
Snowpack Summary
The Dec 20 facet/surface hoar layer that was proving very sensitive appears to be bonding exceptionally well to the crust below. Field team was in the Churchill slide paths and found the interface down 25cm and did not get any results to tests or ski cuts on steep terrain at TL and below. We found significant wind slab in open areas TL and above.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches reported or observed. Some collapses within the snow pack felt while touring up through the trees with no observable cracking.
Confidence
Wind effect is extremely variable
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.