The natural avalanche cycle is tapering off, but slopes are still very touchy for human triggering. Evaluate terrain carefully before committing to a line and beware of overhead hazard.
Weather Forecast
Cool temperatures and light winds on Monday. Light snowfall and light winds for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Avalanche Summary
A reasonably significant natural avalanche cycle up to size 2.5 has occurred on all aspects and all elevations in the past 3 days. Avalanche control on numerous control zones today produced several avalanches in the size 2.0 to 2.5 range, all associated wit the recent storm snow.
Snowpack Summary
10 to 15cm of new snow in the past 24hrs. Storm snow totals range from 50 to 70cm. All elevations are exhibiting some storm slab formation, but this condition is more dominant at higher elevations. Cornices have grown significantly in the past several days. Sluffing is common in steep terrain.
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.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.