Winds are increasing right now and with lots of recent snow available for transport, new slabs are quickly building. Use caution as you transition in more wind affected areas. Good skiing still being found in sheltered areas.
Confidence
Fair - Wind speed or direction are uncertain on Monday
Weather Forecast
Strong NW winds to continue at upper elevations over the next 36hrs. There may be a few dribs and drabs of precipitation over the next few days but the wind will make short work of this. Watch for wind loading on more southern aspects as opposed to just north and east over the next few days. Temps are forecast to remain cool, unfortunately.
Avalanche Summary
One skier controlled sz 1 at 2300m on a E aspect. 15m wide, 20cm deep and ran 40m. Evidence of a few natural avalanches up to sz 2 in the past 24hrs out of steep terrain on S and E aspects. Fracture lines were already blow in though in locations observed.
Snowpack Summary
Skier trigger-able wind slabs up to 20cm thick building in open wind affected terrain at treeline and above with the Strong NW flow that arrived in the forecast region mid-day on sunday. Some cracking as you transition into open areas. Mid-pack below these new slabs is well settled with the 1106cr down 110cm but it is showing signs of breaking down. Lots of near surface facetting in below treeline areas with cold temps.
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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.