Use extra caution in wind effected terrain. New wind slab has formed over a variety of surfaces that it will likely not bond well to.
Rider triggerable wind slab will likely still be found at treeline and above. Sensitivity could be greater in areas where wind slab has formed over a crust, facets or surface hoar.
Although we have not seen reports of avalanches on this layer in a few days it is likely still possible to trigger it in isolated sheltered terrain features on north and east aspects at treeline where a crust has not formed above it.
Saturday night: some light flurries with moderate southwest winds. Low of -3 at 900m.
Sunday: some light flurries with light winds. High of -3 at 900m.
Monday: light flurries ending in the afternoon. moderate west winds with a high of -3 at 900m.
Tuesday: some light flurries with a high of -5 at 900m. Winds in the morning will be light north and then shifting to east.
On Friday a very large (size 3) wind slab was triggered by a natural cornice fall. This avalanche was on a north east aspect at 1700m.
up to 15cm of recent storm snow overlies a variety of surfaces including surface hoar, facets, old wind slab and a crust. A melt freeze crust caps most of the terrain at or below treeline as well as south facing terrain in the alpine. Surface hoar can be found in isolated sheltered features at treeline.
The January 19th surface hoar layer can still be found down 30 to 50 at treeline and above in sheltered terrain. Recent reports indicate that it is becoming less of a concern.
