Watch for buried sun crust or surface hoar layers that could be triggered beneath this past weeks storm snow.
Weather Forecast
A weak upper trough will bring overcast skies with light precipitation today. Northwesterly low pressure system pushes against an arctic front bringing light to moderate amounts tomorrow with colder temperatures.
Snowpack Summary
10 cm of low density new snow. Jan 23 layer is down 55cm. This layer is a sun crust on steep south and west aspects and surface hoar to 9mm below 1800m. The Nov 6 crust is down 200cm.
Avalanche Summary
1 natural slab size 2.0 in the highway corridor west of the Rogers Pass summit
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Tuesday
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.
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.