Sunshine and warmer weather will have a significant impact on the large amounts of fresh snow we have had and may affect cornices as well. The hazard will be lower in the morning if things refreeze but watch carefully for the effects of heating.
Weather Forecast
Wed mainly sunny freezing level near 1800m winds shifting to SE.Thursday sunny periods with a freezing level near 2000m.Friday Cloudy freezing level near 2000m winds SW
Snowpack Summary
65cm sits above the April 7 crust at treeline and 60cm sits above the April 11 crust on all aspects to 2000m and solar aspects to ridge lines. Moderate winds today affecting ridgeline and exposed areas creating soft slabs. Crusts continue to gain strength but moist snow remains beneath them on solar aspects.
Avalanche Summary
There has been widespread loose dry avalanches running naturally out of extreme terrain or sluffing with skiers in steep terrain. These events have been relatively small but some have run a long distance in continuously steep terrain sometimes gouging down to the crusts. With increased wind today there was noticeably less of this activity
Confidence
Freezing levels are uncertain
Problems
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.
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.
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.