Solar radiation and warm alpine temperatures may increase the Avalanche Danger over the next few days.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Weather Forecast
The current ridge of high pressure will bring clear skies for the forecast period. Ridgetop winds should remain light on Wednesday and Thursday, intensifying to moderate and southwesterly by Friday. An inversion should develop through the period with above-freezing alpine temperatures expected by Thursday.
Avalanche Summary
A few wind slabs up to size 1.5 were triggered by ski-cutting in the north of the region on Sunday. They occurred on a northwest aspect in alpine terrain. With solar radiation and warmer alpine temperatures forecast for the next few days, loose wet avalanches may occur on steep, sun-exposed slopes.
Snowpack Summary
About 10-20cm of low-density snow fell between last Saturday and Monday. In exposed, high elevation terrain, moderate winds may have shifted these accumulations into soft wind slabs in the immediate lee of ridge crests. Due to continued cool temperatures, these wind slabs may take longer than usual to settle and gain strength. Recent field reports suggest deeper snowpack weaknesses have now gained considerable strength, and the mid and lower snowpack are considered to be generally strong and well-settled.
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.
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.