Confidence
Fair - Due to variable snowpack conditions
Weather Forecast
Sunday night and Monday: Heavy snowfall switching to broken cloud on Monday / Moderate to strong west winds becoming light northwesterly on Monday / Freezing level at 1000mTuesday: Light snowfall / Light southwest winds / Freezing level at 900mWednesday: Moderate to heavy snowfall / Strong southwest winds / Freezing level at 1000m
Avalanche Summary
A widespread natural avalanche cycle to size 3 was observed in response to heavy loading from wind and snow on Friday. I would expect ongoing avalanche activity with forecast weather and the current weak snowpack structure.
Snowpack Summary
Heavy amounts of recent snow and strong winds have created deep and potentially destructive storm slabs. Underneath the new snow, you may find surface hoar that was buried on February 20th. Field reports suggest that it is reactive in many areas throughout the region, particularly at treeline and sheltered alpine terrain where broad shooting cracks were observed. Where it exists, surface hoar will certainly prolong the reactivity and destructive potential of the newly developed slab. The mid and lower snowpack layers are generally strong and well settled.The current weather will likely be forming new cornices. Expect cornices to be large and unstable.Total snow depths vary from around 400 cm in the south to around 180 cm in the north.
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.