Spring conditions are variable right now. The expected weather will make for a mixed bag of avalanche problems. Watch for winter like conditions up high, and spring hazards down low. Keep an eye on the snow's overnight recovery.
Weather Forecast
A weak front will pass through the area tomorrow during the day. Temperatures are expected to fall slightly throughout the day. Right now we can expect valley bottom temps to peak at 3 degrees by mid afternoon with a freezing level of 1900m. The alpine will be cooler and max out at -5. Moderate snow will also start as the front passes through. Amounts are expected to be around 10cm's, but this could vary locally. And who can forget the winds? The directions will be all over the map, but the wind speeds will be fairly consistent at 50km/hr in the alpine.
Avalanche Summary
Some minor pin wheeling was noted today at lower elevations.
Snowpack Summary
A few flurries today has offered little to the snowpack in terms of depth and stability. The consistently warm temperatures today kept the settlement rate high. On average we have lost 3-4 cm's per day at the valley bottom snow plots. Above 2000m the snow remained cool enough for the snow to stay dry. Below that, the heat turned the snow into a moist, dense layer. Aspect did not play as much of a role today as past days.
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.
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.