Careful with increasing solar inputs Cornices are large and looming-give them a wide berth.
Weather Forecast
Flurries expected Thursday and Friday though not expected to amount to much. Above seasonal temperatures are expected and rain could fall in the valley bottoms.
Snowpack Summary
Surface hoar continues to grow at all elevations. Up to 50cm of settled snow overlies a variety of crusts and provides good travel. These firmer upper layers are resting on 50-75cm of weak, poorly bonded faceted snow crystals. Cornice drops and step downs could trigger large avalanches in the alpine.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed or reported today.
Confidence
Track of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Thursday
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.