Sunny skies and a temperature inversion may trigger loose wet avalanches on steep, solar aspects.
Weather Forecast
MONDAY NIGHT: Few clouds / Light, northwesterly winds / Low 1 C / Freezing level 1000 m with strong temperature inversion.TUESDAY: Mostly sunny / Light, northwesterly winds / High 3 C / Freezing level 2000 m. with strong temperature inversion.WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Moderate, northwesterly winds / High 3 C / Freezing level 2000 m. with strong temperature inversion.THURSDAY: Cloudy / Moderate, westerly winds / High 1 C / Freezing level 1000 m.
Avalanche Summary
No avalanches were reported in the region on Sunday.
Snowpack Summary
The snow surface has been impacted by warm air temperatures, the sun, and recent strong northwest winds. Above 2000 m, you will likely find a melt-freeze crust on southerly aspects, wind-loaded terrain features on southwesterly aspects, and dry, wind-effected snow on northerly aspects. Below 2000 m, expect to find a crust on all aspects.Beneath this, around 40 to 60 cm of snow sits on a melt-freeze crust on south aspects and a spotty weak layer of surface hoar or sugary faceted grains. There have been no observations of avalanches on this layer and snowpack test results suggest the overlying snow is bonding to the layer. Where this layer exists, it is most likely to be found between 1700 m and 2000 m.The remainder of the snowpack is currently well-settled and strong in most locations.
Problems
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.
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.