There is a lot of low density snow out there for entrainment, small pockets of slab may result in surprisingly large avalanches.
Weather Forecast
Thursday: Cloudy. Snow (5cm). Ridgetop winds Moderate-Strong SW. Alpine Temps: High -7, Low -10.Friday: Mostly Cloudy. Snow flurries. Ridgetop winds Strong SW. Alpine Temps: High -5, Low -8.Saturday: Mostly Cloudy. Snow (10cm) Ridgetop winds Strong trending Light SW. Alpine Temps High -5, Low -10
Snowpack Summary
15cm (and counting) of new snow, accompanied by moderate winds, is forming touchy storm slabs in exposed areas. Below this several layers of soft Wind Slab have been easy to trigger in recent days. Up to 70cm of snow has fallen since Feb. 18th, and remains unconsolidated in many areas, expect significant entrainment if you trigger an avalanche.
Avalanche Summary
Nearby operations reported skier triggering of small Wind Slab and Loose Dry avalanches on Monday and Tuesday.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is 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.
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.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.