Regions
Northwest Inland.
Be aware that SOUTH and WEST facing slopes will destabilize with direct radiation from the sunny weather. Loose wet sluffs are likely in the afternoon.
Confidence
Poor - Due to limited field observations
Weather Forecast
Sunday: Expect a mix of sun and cloud with alpine temperatures reaching -8 and freezing levels around 900m. Winds should be light from the East.Monday/Tuesday: Lots of sunny skies with alpine temperatures reaching -8 in the afternoons and winds turning from easterly to southeasterly, but remaining light.
Avalanche Summary
No new information from the region.
Snowpack Summary
15-35cm of recent snow is generally bonding well to the previous snow surface, which includes a crust, facets and/or surface hoar. Warm afternoon temperatures have moistened the surface snow on all but the highest and most sheltered slopes. Previous strong westerly winds created widespread hard and soft wind slabs in exposed areas, which have been reactive to human triggers on steep wind-loaded rolls. These slabs are now lightly buried. Below treeline, the surface snow is undergoing daily melt-freeze cycles with the upper meter becoming wet and losing cohesion by mid-afternoon. Concerns remain for a patchy persistent weakness buried a month ago, and deeper in the snowpack, basal facets may become a concern with continued mild temperatures. Cornices are well-developed and could easily become unstable during periods of warm weather or direct solar radiation.
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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.