Conditions have improved within the snowpack. Local variability is an issue worth some exploration. During your travels, take some time to assess the layers and look for local instabilities. Good skiing today on sheltered north aspects.
Weather Forecast
We are expecting the large temperature differential to continue for the next few days. Freezing levels will rise to 1600m tomorrow with some intermittent sun expected. Winds will remain westerly and average 35km/hr at 2500m. Valley bottom winds will remain light. 2500m temps will be around -5 as a high. No snow is expected.
Avalanche Summary
Some small, loose dry avalanches from yesterday were noted today. No slab avalanches were seen.
Snowpack Summary
In the past 48hrs we've had spotty convective flurries that have left 3-12cm's of new snow. This new snow is very low density and easily blown around by the wind. We have yet to see any significant storm slab development. Below the new snow we have a rare February crust that formed during the last warm spell. This thin breakable crust is widespread up to 2050m, and on solar aspects it stretches up to the 2200m mark. So far it is insignificant as its only down 10cm's on average. Profiles today at treeline showed a much more settled and stronger snowpack that what we've seen lately. It seems the northern region of the forecast area has a stronger snowpack in general. The snow depth at the profile was 153cm, elevation was 2100m, and on a north aspect. Tests gave inconclusive results. One test had a moderate result and another 50m away had a hard result. In both cases the failure type was not very concerning. Of note was the moist layer on the ground. The depth hoar layer was 10cm thick and fairly well bonded for depth hoar. In the alpine, the winds were gusting to about 30km/hr. Expect the alpine snowpack to consist of laminated windslabs and a weak depth hoar bottom.
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.
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.