We are coming into a busy weekend, with tricky avalanche conditions. There is great skiing to be had, but keep your guard up. Remember that other groups may be above or below you & regroup in safe spots. Avoid slopes with large cornices looming above
Weather Forecast
A weak ridge of high pressure is developing today. Unsettled weather is expected through the weekend. Throughout the weekend expect flurries & a mix of sun and cloud, which may have a strong "greenhouse effect". Alpine temps are expected to be -3'C with moderate W'ly winds continuing to load lees. A spring melt-freeze cycle should start to develop.
Snowpack Summary
~50cm of new snow in the past 5 days, combined with mild temps and sustained SW winds, is building a deep storm slab. This slab overlies a crust, which provides a good sliding surface, on all aspects up to ~2200m and to ridgetop on solar aspects. Multiple crusts in the upper meter may promote step-down avalanches.
Avalanche Summary
Yesterday, avalanches up to size 2.5 were triggered by skiers. They were generally larger on N'ly aspects where the slab is deeper due to wind-loading. They were easily triggered in predictable places; steep slopes with a convexity. Natural size 2-3 avalanches were observed from all aspects along the highway. Several were from skiable terrain.
Confidence
Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
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.
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.
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.