As the temperatures climb and the sun shines, the best snow will be found on northerly aspects.
Weather Forecast
A strong temperature inversion is in place, with an 8 degree difference between valley bottom and tree line. Freezing levels are expected to climb as high as 3400m today with alpine temperatures reaching 5 degrees! Expect calm winds and intense solar input above the valley cloud. High pressure and warm alpine temperatures persist into next week.
Snowpack Summary
50cm of storm snow is beginning to gain cohesion. Recent snow appears to be bonding well to the november 26th crust which is down 60-80cm. Pockets of wind slab exist in alpine lees, and a thin crust is now present on steep solar aspects. With high temperatures in the forecast, expect the surface snow to become moist this afternoon.
Avalanche Summary
Minor sluffing was observed on steep solar aspects.
Confidence
Freezing levels are uncertain
Problems
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.