Up to 35cm of new snow over the past few days continues to add load to the snowpack. Winds will be a critical thing to watch over the next few days as there is lots of snow available for transport. Give the snowpack time to settle.
Confidence
Good - Wind speed and direction is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Temperatures are forecast to cool over the next few days with light to moderate winds out of the NW. No new snow is forecast to fall (unfortunately) but we are way ahead of where we normally are for snow depths.
Avalanche Summary
Avalanche Control in the Buller and EEOR areas on Thursday produced mixed results. Some areas the bomb produced only a hole and in other avalanches up to sz 2 were encountered. There were also some areas (steeper terrain) wherein we observed a few loose dry avalanches up to sz 1.
Snowpack Summary
An additional 35cm of new snow fell overnight along the Smith Dorrien. At the Highwood pass region, 25cm of snow fell. Winds were generally moderate out of the SW so we are seeing new windslabs and stormslabs build as we speak! These new slabs are our main concern in the snowpack. We really don't have a prominent persistent weak layer within out snowpack at this time but there still are significant weak layer at the interface with the recent new snow. Buried windslab's are also a concern and backcountry users need to be curious about snowpack and where these concerns may be. Expect to encounter these problems around ridgelines, and in gullied terrain at treeline and above.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.
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.