Be extra cautious around south slopes: they're weak, wind-loaded, and getting hit by the sun.
Confidence
High - Due to the number and quality of field observations
Weather Forecast
TUESDAY: Sunny with cloudy periods, light northeast winds, alpine temperatures around -20.WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light north winds, alpine temperatures around -20.THURSDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light northwest winds, alpine temperatures around -18.
Avalanche Summary
On Sunday, isolated wind slab activity was reported including human and naturally triggered size 1 avalanches on unsupported (convex) features. Expect wind slabs to remain reactive to human triggers in specific areas, such as the immediately lee of ridges and on sun-exposed slopes.
Snowpack Summary
Strong winds on Sunday had an extensive effect in exposed terrain at all elevations. Expect scouring, hard wind slabs, and thicker reactive wind slabs in unusual places as the winds shifted from west to northeast. Sunny weather is likely making the wind slabs extra touchy on south-facing slopes. The mid-December facet/surface hoar layer can be found buried 70-120 cm deep, and has been showing signs of gaining strength recently with little to no recent avalanche activity in the region. The lower snowpack is well bonded and features a thick rain crust near the ground.
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.