Cold dry conditions continue for the next few days. Watch for wind slabs in unusual places as the wind shifts directions.
Confidence
High - The weather pattern is stable
Weather Forecast
SATURDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with clear periods, light wind, alpine temperatures drop to -10 C.SUNDAY: Sunny with cloudy periods, light north wind, alpine high temperatures around -8 C.MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light north wind, alpine high temperatures around -10 C.TUESDAY: Cloudy with scattered flurries and accumulations of 5 cm, moderate northwest wind, alpine high temperatures around -10 C.
Avalanche Summary
A few small loose dry avalanches in steep terrain were reported on Saturday. On Friday, several small (size 1) wind slabs were triggered by skiers on upper treeline and alpine features (up to 30 cm thick).
Snowpack Summary
10-40 cm of recent snow remains low density in many areas, but has settled into thin soft slabs on some higher elevation features. Harder wind slabs can be found in exposed terrain near ridges. You may find a crust beneath this snow below 2000 m and on steep south-facing slopes. In exposed areas, the new soft snow sits above hard wind affected snow. The remainder of the snowpack is generally well-settled.
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.