Snow is beginning to add up in Alpine areas. Consider bringing avalanche safety gear on climbing, skiing and mountaineering objectives.
Weather Forecast
Dribs and drabs on new snow will continue to fall over the next few days and weeks and the current avalanche problems will continue to develop. Windslabs are the main concern at this time and following snowfalls, loose dry may also be a concern.
Avalanche Summary
A few loose dry avalanches in alpine terrain up to sz 1.5 These have mainly been occurring in steeper climbing terrain especially on N and E aspects
Snowpack Summary
Up to 40cm of snow is now being observed at 2400m and above. This new snow is settling with the warm fall temperatures but we can expect that it will hang out with us for the season now! Winds at the upper elevations have created pockets of windslabs along ridgelines and in gullied terrain. A failures in these windslabs will not likely result in a large avalanches but there is certainly potential for accidents within ice climbing terrain as well as you would get really banged up being dragged and bounced along the ground with all of the early season hazards. Storms at this time of the year will also produce numerous loose dry slides that travel far so be aware for this potential after a snowfall.
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.