Confidence
Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain on Saturday
Weather Forecast
On saturday snow will continue with accumulations of 5-10cm, moderate southwest winds and freezing levels climbing as high as 1800m.On sunday light flurries will continue through the morning, but a clearing trend is expected for the afternoon bringing light northwest winds and freezing levels at about 1000m.On monday expect light to moderate snowfall, increased westerly alpine winds and freezing levels at valley bottom.
Avalanche Summary
There have been no new reports of avalanches. Fresh wind slabs are expected to form and become an avalanche problem with the forecast weather on saturday.
Snowpack Summary
Large surface hoar and faceted powder on sheltered shady slopes, and a surface crust on sun-exposed slopes, are now lightly buried in some locations and should continue to get incrementally buried over the forecast period. Assuming the structure of this current snow surface is preserved long enough for a sufficiently thick and cohesive slab to bury it, then a highly unstable situation should develop (particularly where surface hoar and/or faceted crystals are associated with a weak crust). The mid and lower snowpack are generally well settled and strong, but faceted. Check out the Forecaster's Blog link below for more general snowpack discussion and good advice.
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.