Use extra caution in wind loaded areas where slabs may easily be triggered.
Weather Forecast
Cloudy with isolated flurries and trace amounts of precipitation today. Alpine high of -4 with freezing levels remaining below 1500m. Several fronts move through the region this week. Moderate Southerly winds gust to strong as an approaching front arrives later this evening. Expect 5cm tonight and 8cm tomorrow as the first system comes and goes.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 20cm of new snow with moderate southerly winds has created a surface instability. At lower elevations expect moist snow from rain. Wind slabs are prevalent on most aspects in the alpine and tree-line and may be concealed by new snow. Below these slabs, a crust exists on solar aspects. The Jan 4th persistent weak layer is down 90-130.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed in the highway corridor with limited visibility. A party in the Asulkan Valley ski cut a sz 1.5 wind slab on a NE aspect at 2000m.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
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.