We're into a daily melt-freeze cycle. Be alert to changing snow conditions as the snow warms up.
Confidence
Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain
Weather Forecast
WEDNESDAY: Increasing cloud, strong southwest wind, freezing level climbing to 2000 m after an overnight refreeze.THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy with light amounts of snow/rain, strong southwest wind, freezing level up to 2300 m with little overnight refreeze.FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with 2-4 cm of wet snow later in the day, moderate southwest wind, freezing around 2400 m.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported on Tuesday, but small loose wet avalanches likely occurred on solar aspects. Increasing cloud cover will decrease the likelihood loose wet avalanches on Wednesday, but slab avalanches remain a concern at higher elevations.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack has entered a daily melt-freeze cycle. Hard crusts form overnight and become moist surface snow during the heat of the day. The exception is north-facing alpine terrain, where about 20 cm of dry snow and isolated wind slabs may exist. The bottom third of the snowpack is composed of weak facets and full-depth avalanches over this basal weakness could be possible with a heavy trigger such as a cornice fall.
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.