Bring extra layers of clothes and a thermos! Cool to cold temperatures continue.
Weather Forecast
7cm+ of cold snow expected in the next 24hrs accompanied by light southerly winds. Arctic high pressure and light northerly winds should move in on Monday.
Snowpack Summary
Upwards of 50cm of last week's storm snow continues to settle to closer to boot top depth. Periods of moderate south winds have formed soft windslab on the immediate lee of alpine features. With the temperatures being cool to cold and the surface snow recrystalized the soft slabs appear to be just that, soft.
Avalanche Summary
Several size 1.5 soft slabs have been observed along the highway corridor out of steep extreme terrain.
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 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.