Despite the sun, the air temperature remains cool. Caution advised when sun is baking slopes above as this will incrementally increase the danger rating.
Weather Forecast
Thursday will have variable cloud, seasonal temperatures, light flurries, and light to gusting moderate SW ridgetop winds. Friday will have flurries, SW winds possibly blowing extreme at 3000m and brisk at treeline ridgetops. The snow is not expected to arrive until Friday evening with 15-20cm (11mm water equivalency) by Saturday a.m..
Snowpack Summary
Variable windslabs exist in the alpine and exposed treeline locations. Overall they are bonding well to the previous surfaces. Many spots have been stripped of Saturday's storm snow revealing previous sastrugi and windslab surfaces with windpressed pockets in between. Its looking like it was a week ago. Weak facets dominate low elevations.
Avalanche Summary
No Wednesday patrol. Tuesday's patrol observed only a couple size 1.5 very steep loose avalanches @ 2600m appearing to be solar triggered. One size 2 thin slab was noted at 2700m E aspect on a very steep unsupported feature. They appear to be stopping where angle changes. No naturals were noted on Monday and visibility was good.
Confidence
The weather pattern is stable on Thursday
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.