Staying cold through the end of the week...
Confidence
High - The weather pattern is stable
Weather Forecast
Thursday: Generally clear skies / Light to moderate northeast wind / Alpine temperature -16Friday: Sunny with cloudy periods / Light northeast wind / Alpine temperature -21Saturday: Cloudy with isolated flurries / Light to moderate west wind / Alpine temperature of -16
Avalanche Summary
Recent reports in the last 2 days indicate a few isolated cornices in the alpine triggering windslabs on slopes below to size 2 on east and west aspects. Other than those, all other reports focus on thin windslabs in the immediate lee of terrain features to size 1.
Snowpack Summary
In most areas recent low density storm snow has stayed unconsolidated except where it has been transported into wind slabs. The surface snow has been facetting due to the cold temperatures, and some surface hoar has been developing in isolated areas. The mid-pack has been reported to be well settled above above a crust that was buried in mid-november. This crust may be buried less than a metre to close to two metres deep, depending on elevation and previous exposure to winds. Snowpack tests on the crust have shown variable results from sudden to no result. Professionals continue to monitor this layer and are watching for facet development above and below that may increase reactivity.
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.