Isolated wind slabs at higher elevations are the main concern right now. Remain vigilant around cornices, and minimize overhead exposure.
Confidence
Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Wednesday
Weather Forecast
We're looking at small amounts of new snow and slightly warmer than normal temperatures throughout the forecast period. Scattered convective activity on Thursday and Friday could result in locally higher snowfall totals.WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with wet flurries in the afternoon (2-6 cm). Light to moderate south west winds. Freezing level falling to 1700 metres late in the day, with alpine high temperatures of +2.THURSDAY: Scattered flurries (2-5cm possible). Light northerly winds. Freezing level around 1600 metres with alpine high temperatures around 0 degrees.FRIDAY: Scattered flurries (2-5cm possible). Light northerly winds. Freezing level 1300 metres with alpine high temperatures of 0 degrees.
Avalanche Summary
Reports from the past four days of sunny weather included many wet loose avalanches to size 1.5. These occurred in steeper terrain on sunny aspects.
Snowpack Summary
The last snowfall was Thursday's storm, which brought 20-30 cm of new snow by Friday morning. Since then, isolated wind effect has created patchy wind slabs at higher elevations, but really, the main story has been the sun's effect on south and west facing slopes over the past several days. Daytime heating has resulted in moist or wet snow on sunny aspects, freezing to form a crust overnight. Persistent weak layers from early January and mid-December are still being reported by local operators. They are generally considered dormant, but could wake up with a surface avalanche stepping down, a cornice fall, or a human trigger in a shallow or variable-depth snowpack area. These layers consist of sun crust, surface hoar and/or facets.
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.