Confidence
Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain on Wednesday
Weather Forecast
Tuesday: Light snowfall / Moderate southwest winds / Freezing level at 1600mWednesday: Moderate to locally heavy snowfall / Strong southwest winds / Freezing level at 1600mThursday: Very light snowfall / Light west winds / Freezing level at 1000m
Avalanche Summary
Observations from the region have been somewhat limited; however, a size 2 glide crack release was recently observed on an east aspect at 1800m. A size 1.5 wind-loaded pocket was also ski cut on a north aspect at 2600m. It was 45cm deep, and ran below the recent storm snow.
Snowpack Summary
It's still winter up above 1700 or so. At upper elevations 20-45cm of new snow is covering a crust or moist snow. At the same interface you may find a touchy layer of surface hoar on shaded alpine slopes.At lower elevations (below 1700m) rain has made the snow surface wet or moist. New snow combined with wind have made large cornices even bigger.The mid and lower snowpack are generally strong and well settled.
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.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.