Today is a good day for conservative trips away from avalanche terrain. Big mature timber may be the place to be, but watch for unconsolidated tree wells.
Weather Forecast
Heavy precipitation, strong to extreme winds, and warming temperatures are in store today, pushing the avalanche danger into the high range. On Thursday, a cold northern air mass is expected to dry things out, and should stay dry and cold for Friday.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 70 cm of storm snow overlies a weak layer of buried surface hoar and facets. This layer is best developed between 1500 and 2000 meters, but exists at all elevations. The mid-pack is well settled and the Nov 6 crust can still be found about 30cm above the ground.
Avalanche Summary
A widespread avalanche cycle was observed along the highway corridor yesterday in storm snow. Avalanches were up to size 3, and many ran into the fans. Although we received few reports of natural activity in the backcountry, it is likely that most steep paths produced avalanches in the past 24 hours. Notables include "Frequent Flyer".
Confidence
Due to the number of field observations
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.