It is important to monitor the weather while on your trip. The avalanche hazard will rise with prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
Weather Forecast
Snowy conditions will continue through to Sunday morning with 10 cm possible. Light Easterly winds will shift to SW. Temps will remain cool with the freezing level only rising to 1700 m on Sunday. Cloudy cool conditions with some flurries through to Monday. Sun and warm temperatures will begin on Tuesday.
Snowpack Summary
Very little new snow from predicted storm. There is rain crust from the valley bottom to 2,350m and a sun crust into Alpine on solar aspects. Settled wind slabs are on NE aspects from 2,000 m to the alpine. Moist and wet snow exists below the crust extending into the alpine on solar aspects. The mid-pack is solid on North aspects. Large cornices.
Avalanche Summary
No field trips today. On April 23rd, avalanche control produced size 1-2 soft slabs at 2200m sliding on a rain crust and cornice failures produced size 3's on steep un-skiable terrain (Cromwell and Boundary peak).
Confidence
Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Sunday
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.
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.