Generally stable conditions exist at the moment, but be curious and cautious if you push into new lines. Steep, unsupported terrain is a concern, as are shallow snowpack areas where triggering a deeper instability could occur.
Weather Forecast
Winds will pick up to 75km/h from the W on Thursday. Alpine temperatures are forecast to be warm in the morning and then cool off through the day. No precipitation is expected.
Avalanche Summary
Nothing new.
Snowpack Summary
Not much is changing in the snowpack lately. The continued cold temps are promoting facetting of the snowpack. Surface hoar continues to grow and surface facetting is also ongoing. recent stability tests indicate a variable shear in the upper 25 to 55cm in alpine areas and no consistent results on the November rain crust.
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.
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.