Regions
Northwest Inland.
Confidence
Fair - Due to limited field observationsfor the entire period
Weather Forecast
A mix of sun and cloud for Wednesday and Thursday with increasing cloud on Friday, but no significant precipitation is expected for the forecast period. Valley bottom freezing levels rising as high as 1000m for Thursday but back down to 600m for Friday. Moderate northwesterly winds shifting to westerlies Thursday evening.
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanche activity has been reported. Isolated wind slabs may be susceptible to human triggering.
Snowpack Summary
Expect to find scoured areas, sastrugi, and hard or stiff wind slabs in exposed terrain. Recent warm temperatures and sun-exposure likely resulted in a surface crust, especially on southerly aspects. Surface hoar is probably growing on sheltered shady slopes. The mid and lower snowpack are generally quite strong.
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.