With the current forecast we are looking at a week with little change. Snowfall amounts by late in the week are under 10cm and while winds are expected to increase there is little snow available for wind transport. Lots of old tracks out there.
Weather Forecast
Over Monday night into Tuesday temps will gradually decline and winds will shift to moderate values out of the NW. Into Wednesday winds will transition back to a more westerly flow and by Thursday they will be strong to extreme out of the SW. Little new precipitation is expected over the course of the week.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanche activity observed on Monday.
Snowpack Summary
At treeline and below it is becoming increasingly apparent that the November rain crust is breaking down due to facetting. In deeper snowpack areas the breakdown same breakdown is occurring although the process is slower.
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.