Rising temperatures will encourage snow settlement and slab development. Avalanche hazard will increase as the storm snow forms a cohesive slab.
Weather Forecast
A series of low pressure systems will track trough the area this week. For today, mainly cloudy, nil precipitation, alpine high of -3, ridge winds S 15-30km/h and freezing levels rising to 1400m. Snow flurries begin late this evening with 6cm of accumulation by Monday morning.
Snowpack Summary
In the alpine up to 50cm of new snow sits atop the January 4th interface. This interface is surface hoar in protected areas, sun crust on steep S - SW aspects and loose facets at tree-line and below. Where wind-affected, storm slabs have formed in lee features. Storm snow is unconsolidated at lower elevations but slab properties are developing.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed or reported yesterday in Glacier National Park.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.