We are back to the "green brick" and it will likely stay there for a while yet. As you push into bigger, steeper terrain watch for pockets of small wind slab or sloughing of facets which will have big consequences in terrain traps. SH
Weather Forecast
The NW flow will continue through the weekend with no snow. There will be a slight temperature inversion Saturday but alpine temps will stay in the -5 to -7 range. It's a long way off, but so far there isn't significant snow in the forecast for at least the next week.Check our weather stations for current conditions.
Snowpack Summary
3-10cm of low density new snow sits over the Jan 6 surface hoar and facets. Isolated wind slabs exist in the alpine near ridge crests. Buried sun crusts exist on steep S/SW aspects. Below 2000m, the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar and facets remains visible down 20-50 cm but is currently dormant. Thin areas are faceting out and weakening.
Avalanche Summary
Most reports are of minor sluffing out of extreme terrain to size 1.5 over the last 24 hours. Most of the activity occurred yesterday with increased winds. Activity has slowed, but small soft wind slabs are still being reported at Sunshine ski village near ridge crests.
Confidence
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 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.