The avalanche hazard has bumped up slightly in the alpine from the sustained north and easterly winds.
Weather Forecast
Continuing clear and cold for the next couple of days. Winds should remain light from the North and East at ridge-top, occasionally gusting moderate.
Snowpack Summary
5-10cm of soft snow overlies hard snow surfaces of sun crust on steep solar aspects and wind slab at higher elevations. This new snow has seen some wind affect and has bonded poorly to the layers beneath. A new surface hoar layer is down 5cm at lower elevations. The mid pack is well settled. Cold weather has begun faceting the snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed yesterday.
Confidence
Due to the number and quality of field observations
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.