New storm snow will need time to stabilize. Now is the time to scale back your objectives.
Weather Forecast
Mainly cloudy today as snow flurries persist into the afternoon. Expect 5cm of accumulation, an alpine temperature of -6.0, westerly winds 20km/h gusting to 65km/h, and freezing levels rising to 1500m. A week ridge of high pressure builds on Saturday, bringing a mixed bag of sun and cloud. Precipitation resumes on sunday with 9cm snow.
Snowpack Summary
20cm fell overnight bringing the weekly storm snow total to 80cm. Strong southerly winds redistributed the new snow with increased loading on lee features. Storm snow is settling into a cohesive slab on a buried crust down about 50cm on all aspects up to 2000m and on steep solar aspects into the alpine. Surface snow was moist below 1500m yesterday.
Avalanche Summary
Isolated loose wet avalanches were observed yesterday in the highway corridor on solar aspects up to size 2.0. This morning we received several infrasonic avalanche detection alerts in the west end of the highway corridor. These avalanches could not be confirmed due to limited visibility, but we suspect we are in the midst of a natural cycle.
Confidence
Forecast snowfall amounts are 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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.