Avalanche danger may spike on slopes receiving direct sun. Avoid travelling on or underneath sun-baked terrain.
Confidence
Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Friday: Trace amounts of snow possible. Becoming increasingly sunny. Light N winds. Alpine temperature near -7.Saturday: No snow. Light winds. Sun and cloud. Alpine temperature near -6.Sunday: No snow. Light winds. Sunny. Alpine temperature near -7.
Avalanche Summary
Intense wind-loading triggered several wind slabs, mainly on north aspects at alpine and treeline elevations, on Wednesday. Skiers also triggered size 1-2 storm/wind slabs.
Snowpack Summary
Recent snowfall was redistributed by very strong SE to SW wind, leaving wind slabs 30 cm to 1 m deep on many lee terrain features. These were initially reactive to the weight of a person but gained some strength by Thursday. Subsequent NW winds may have caused some reverse loading - so keep an eye out for wind slabs on all aspects. A couple of weak layers are buried in the upper metre of the snowpack. These comprise faceted snow, surface hoar and/or a crust, with variable distribution. The current snow structure varies with only a subtle change in elevation, aspect, wind or sun exposure. Mid and lower snowpack layers are well bonded.
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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.