Strong winds and snow will lead to further slab development overnight. This may push the danger rating to CONSIDERABLE if more snow falls than is expected.
Confidence
Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather is uncertain
Weather Forecast
A short, but intense burst of precipitation is expected Wednesday evening possibly bringing rain to lower elevations. Thursday will see a mix of sun and cloud, slightly cooler temperatures and moderate NW winds.
Avalanche Summary
Nothing new today, but observations were limited.
Snowpack Summary
Storm slabs up to 40cm thick are found in lee and cross-loaded features in alpine and open areas at treeline. Crusts are found on all aspects at all elevations, except for true North aspects. These crusts are of widely varying thickness and strength, but generally provide very fast travel conditions while frozen.
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 Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.