While conditions are improving, watch for wind slabs in alpine lee areas. Avoid steep and confined terrain features due to the possibility of loose dry avalanches.
Weather Forecast
The cold snap is coming to an end. Temperatures are starting to warm, with freezing levels by mid week forecasted to reach 1800m. Winds are not expected to be as strong as originally forecasted.
Snowpack Summary
15-40cm of recent snow overlies a thick layer of facets formed earlier in Dec. Below this the Dec.15 layer of surface hoar (below 2100m) and hard surfaces or facets (depending on location) is down 30-50cm. Below is a generally supportive snow pack with multiple crusts, that is slowly weakening. Some alpine wind slab formation starting to happen.
Avalanche Summary
Loose dry avalanche's continue to be the main type of activity in the forecast region, ranging in size1-1.5 with a few to size 2. Most observations reported initiation from extreme terrain, running far into the tracks. These avalanches are easy to initiate in steep terrain and can be very hazardous in confined spaces like gullies or terrain traps.
Confidence
The weather pattern is stable
Problems
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.
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.