Temperatures have spiked warmer and sooner than expected. This added to the new snow and increased wind has upped the avalanche danger at all elevations. Excellent skiing out there right now but choose terrain wisely.
Weather Forecast
More snow in the forecast, the bulk of new expected to begin Saturday night and through Sunday with moderate winds to transport it around. Mild temperatures are forecasted for the weekend.
Snowpack Summary
35cm of low density storm snow with as much as 20cm more forecast through the weekend. The new snow has buried previously reported wind slabs and in some areas has overloaded it and we are seeing increased natural activity, particularly in the alpine. Further load will only weaken the snowpack at all elevations.
Avalanche Summary
Several new natural avalanches observed in the Sir Winston Churchill range up to sz 3. They are isolated to cross-loaded gullies and wind-loaded open slopes in the alpine above 2400ms. The slabs appear to be triggered by loose slides from steeper terrain that is overloading the snowpack.
Confidence
Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Problems
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.
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.