Keep an eye out for wind slabs in lee terrain. As the temperatures rise through the day, the likelihood of loose wet avalanches will increase the snowpack warms, especially in areas with fresh snow.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy / east-southeast wind, 10-20 km/h / alpine temperature -4 C / freezing level dropping to valley bottomMONDAY NIGHT: Mix of sun and cloud / south wind, 10-15 km/h / alpine temperature -1 C / freezing level 1800 mTUESDAY: Cloudy / west-southwest wind / 15-25 km/h / alpine temperature -2 C / freezing level 1800 mWEDNESDAY: Flurries, 10-15 cm snow / west-southwest wind 15-35 km/h / alpine temperature -3 C / freezing level 1500 m
Avalanche Summary
On Saturday, small (size 1-1.5) storm slabs and wind slabs were reactive to skier traffic. Cornices were reactive to explosives and triggered large (size 2) slab avalanches as they fell on the slopes below. Small storm slabs were triggered by skiers on Friday, within the recent storm snow up to 40 cm thick. The likelihood of triggering loose wet avalanches will increase if the sun shines, especially in areas with fresh snow.
Snowpack Summary
Around 20 to 30 cm of recent snow has been blown around by strong to extreme southerly wind. This snow overlies dry, cold snow on high-elevation northerly aspects and a melt-freeze crust elsewhere. Snow is melting rapidly at lower elevations.
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.