Record breaking temperatures are expected today, with the sun coming out to intensify the effect of the warming. This rapid transition to springlike conditions will mean more large natural activity.
Weather Forecast
Record breaking warm temperatures are expected today with freezing levels going up to mountain top. The sunshine will intensify the warming effect on the snowpack.
Snowpack Summary
Expect springlike conditions. The top 20-40cm of snow is moist to wet. Up to 15mm of rain in the last two days has added to the load above the Jan15 weak layer down 60-90cm. The Dec 17 surface hoar/ crust complex is down 130-180cm.
Avalanche Summary
Yesterday a natural cycle with warm temperatures and rain; numerous avalanches up to Size 3 in highway corridor, some gouging to ground at low elevation and loose avalanches triggering slabs. A back country report from a low elevation Size 2 natural avalanche 15m wide, 200m long, 50-60cm deep, in the Asulkan area close to the Abbott slide path.
Confidence
Freezing levels are uncertain
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.
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.