Cornices are beginning to weaken and there have be a number of close calls in neighboring forecast areas. Stay well back from corniced ridge lines.
Weather Forecast
Clearing overnight with clouds moving back in Saturday afternoon. No precipitation is expected in the next 24 hours and winds will be light from the northwest. Seasonal temperatures are forecast, slightly cooler overnight.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack is faceting and losing strength especially in shallow areas. At tree line and above, the mid-pack is generally supportive where the snow depth is greater than a meter. Wind slabs are present in lee features at upper elevations. Surface hoar is developing with the cool overnight temperatures and light valley bottom winds.
Avalanche Summary
No avalanches reported today though expect some loose snow sluffing on solar aspects.
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.