Avoid wind loaded pockets and don't let a small slide get the best of you.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Sunday
Weather Forecast
SATURDAY: Cloudy, light southeast winds, freezing level up to 700 m.SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy with isolated wet flurries and up to 5 cm of new snow, moderate to strong southeast winds, freezing level up to 1100 m.MONDAY: Flurries with up to 20 cm of new snow, moderate south winds, freezing level around 600 m.
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanches have been reported.
Snowpack Summary
On Friday, 15 cm of new snow and moderate southeast winds likely formed fresh wind slabs on north-facing slopes in the lee of exposed features. The new snow has buried a variable interface composed of faceted (sugary) snow, wind crusts, and wind slabs. Some of these older buried wind slabs may still be reactive in isolated steep unsupported slopes. Aside from possible wind slab instabilities in the upper snowpack, the mid and lower snowpack are considered to be well settled and stable.
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.