Give the new snow time to settle and stabilize before stepping into bigger terrain.
Confidence
Moderate - Wind speed and direction is uncertain
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY NIGHT: Isolated flurries with accumulations up to 5 cm, moderate southwest winds, freezing level dropping to 700 m.MONDAY: Isolated flurries with another 5 cm, moderate southwest winds, freezing level up to 1400 m.TUESDAY: Flurries with 5-15 cm of new snow, strong southwest winds, freezing level up to 1600 m.WENESDAY: Isolated flurries, moderate southwest winds, cooling trend with alpine temperatures around -6 C.
Avalanche Summary
On Sunday, reactive storm slabs produced a few size 1.5 naturally triggered avalanches in alpine terrain, several size 1.5 skier triggered avalanches at treeline, and numerous size 2-2.5 explosive triggered avalanches in alpine terrain. Small loose wet avalanches were reported at lower elevations as well. On Monday, storm slabs will likely remain reactive to human triggers at higher elevations.
Snowpack Summary
Light flurries will add to 20 cm of recent snow that is settling into a thin but reactive storm slab. This slab sits above a thick rain crust below 1900 m and a generally well settled snowpack. Isolated basal weaknesses may still exist in shallow snowpack areas.
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.