Regions
Northwest Inland.
Spring conditions typically mean the hazard is highest during the heat of the afternoon. Cornices and loose wet sluffing are typical spring problems which can be expected on Friday. Wind slabs may also be a concern in high elevation leeward terrain.
Weather Forecast
A weak storm system is expected for Friday. 2-4mm of precipitation is expected with freezing levels dropping to around 1300m in the afternoon. Moderate to strong southerly winds are expected in the alpine. Mostly sunny conditions are expected for Saturday with light alpine wind and freezing levels climbing to around 1800m in the afternoon. A mix of sun and cloud is forecast for Sunday with light alpine wind and afternoon freezing levels around 2000m.
Avalanche Summary
Stormy weather has limited avalanche observations, although I'm sure there was a decent round of natural storm slab activity in response to new snow and wind on Tuesday. A few natural storm slabs up to size 2 were reported on Wednesday. Wind slabs are concern on Friday in high elevation terrain. Cornices are also expected to be weak right now and wet sluffing is possible at lower elevations that see rainfall.
Snowpack Summary
On Tuesday, 10-20cm of new snow fell. Throughout the storm, extreme westerly winds promoted continued cornice growth and created a widespread wind effect at higher elevations. About 30cm below the surface you'll find a widespread hard melt-freeze crust that formed as a result of last week's warm weather and more recent cooling. A few persistent weak layers exist in the snowpack including lingering surface hoar layer from January (down over a meter), and weak basal facets at the bottom of the snowpack. The near-surface crust has dramatically limited the reactivity of these destructive old layers.
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.
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.
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.