Forecast new snow in the alpine is expected to continue to develop windslabs.
Weather Forecast
Cloud developing overnight with freezing levels dropping down to about 1600 metres. Light precipitation (1-3 mm) starting in the early morning combined with moderate to strong southwest winds. Freezing levels rising up to about 2000 metres during the day. Light precipitation overnight and Thursday morning resulting in 5-10 cm of new snow above about 1600 metres. Friday is expected to be very warm with clearing skies as the high pressure ridge re-builds.
Avalanche Summary
One report of a skier triggered windslab size 1.5 on a northeast aspect in the alpine. One report of a large natural icefall size 2.5 that did not release a slab from the slope below
Snowpack Summary
Moist snow on solar aspects up to about 2400 metres and all aspects up to about 1800-2000 metres. The mid-February crust is buried down 10-30 cm and there is a weak layer of facets and/or surface hoar in the sandwich above the crust. The mid pack is well settled with a couple of persistent weak layers that continue to give hard or very hard results in snow profile tests. The late-Jan crust/surface hoar layer (up to 100 cm deep) and the mid-January surface hoar (80-120 cm deep) are generally dormant, and chances of triggering these weaknesses have decreased.
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.