Cooler temperatures are incoming this weekend but check wx stations for a possible inversion in the morning. Wind and warm temps have made good skiing challenging to find. MK
Confidence
Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain on Saturday
Weather Forecast
Well overnight on Friday cooler temperatures should begin to move into the forecast region and we should see a new crust form again on the solar aspects! The omega block weather pattern is holding firm and arent likely to see any new snow over the next while.
Avalanche Summary
Some pinwheeling due to moist snow was observed out of steep solar aspects later in the day. Otherwise no new avalanches were observed.
Snowpack Summary
Wind slabs are most noticeable near ridgeline and extending down the slope on most aspects due to the recent winds. Today was warm and sunny, thus making the snow moist on solar aspects and turning into a crust once the sun went away. The November crusts are still a concern, mostly in shallow areas. Surface hoar is developing in lower elevations. This will be yet another layer to pay attention to.
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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.