Northerly winds and periods of convective flurries have created wind slabs in the alpine.
Weather Forecast
Sunny and dry for Wednesday and Thursday with freezing levels around 1500 m and light winds. Cloud and possible flurries for Friday as freezing levels rise above 2000 m and winds increase to moderate westerlies.
Avalanche Summary
Reports from Monday and Tuesday morning include widespread dry loose sloughing up to Size 1.5 in steep terrain. Slope cutting also produced several Size 1 storm slabs and wind slabs.
Snowpack Summary
There is quite a bit of variability across the region in regards to new snow amounts, which is generally in the 5-25 cm range. The snow surface is also variable and includes dry new snow, loose facetted snow, wind slabs, and sun crusts. The mid-February crust is down around 10-30 cm where it isn't wind loaded or scoured. 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. However, triggering may be possible with a large input such as cornice fall, or an avalanche stepping down, especially on slopes that see a lot of sun.
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.