When the sun comes out, solar aspects will see there stability decrease rapidly so avoid being on or under these areas during periods of warming or intense solar radiation.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Monday
Weather Forecast
Monday is calling for partly cloudy skies, flurries and some sun. So a typical spring day with a bit of everything! Freezing level will be around 2200m with winds out of the west in the moderate range. If the sun comes out, solar aspects will become less stable quickly so keep an eye on the weather, and the aspect you are travelling on or under.
Avalanche Summary
One cornice collapse was heard during the day on Sunday.
Snowpack Summary
5-10cm fell over the past 24hrs with generally light winds. This new snow is burying the previous wind slabs in the Alpine that are highly variable in distribution and density, but are most commonly found near ridgelines in lee and cross-loaded terrain. On steep solar aspects in the Alpine there is a 30 to 50cm thick slab overlying the March 15th crust, and though this condition is not widespread there has been some avalanche activity associated to this problem recently. Cornices are large, are feeling the heat of the April sun, and should be avoided. Surface crusts should be expected on solar aspects to the peaks and on all aspects up to 2200m. The best skiing is on sheltered N 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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.