Watch the rising temperatures today an it's affect on the snow. Evaluate each slope independently and keep your eyes up for overhead hazards.
Weather Forecast
Clouds rolling in this morning and precipitation starting this afternoon. We're expecting 5cm of snow above 1700m, light rain below and winds will be moderate from the east. 35mm of total precip is forecasted to fall by Friday, then we should see a high pressure build in for the weekend lasting until Tuesday.
Snowpack Summary
At treeline and above over 45cm of snow has fallen in the last 6 days, amounts decrease with elevation. The new snow is settling and overlies a firm crust everywhere except high elevation N'ly aspects. Strong S'ly winds loaded lee features over the weekend. Cool temps overnight are providing crust recoveries, stabilizing lower elevations.
Avalanche Summary
Strong solar yesterday afternoon triggered loose moist avalanches to size two below tree line. Older storm slabs were most reactive on solar asp where a crust exists down ~45cm. In addition a few large cornice failures were observed from N'ly aspects and small, thin windslabs have been reported in the alpine.
Confidence
Due to the number and quality of field observations
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.