Avalanche conditions could vary dramatically between aspects and elevations Decision making may be more tricky than the Moderate danger rating implies.
Confidence
Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Saturday
Weather Forecast
SATURDAY: Mainly cloudy with continued light snowfall bringing another 1-3cm of accumulation. Freezing levels around 1300m and winds are expected to be light from the southwest. SUNDAY: Another 5-10cm possible overnight before continued light snowfall brings1-3cm of accumulation throughout the day. Freezing levels rising throughout the day to as high as 1500m and winds are expected to be moderate from the southwest. MONDAY: Light snow with moderate to strong westerly winds and freeing levels around 1500m.
Avalanche Summary
Explosive controlled cornices on Thursday produced one 50cm thick Size 2 slab avalanche, and one 150cm thick Size 3 avalanche on northeast facing alpine slopes.
Snowpack Summary
A supportive crust (in most places aside from shaded aspects at treeline elevations) and perhaps new surface hoar (where it survived the heat, rain and sun) could be buried by as much as 10-15cm of fresh snow or deeper wind slabs. Avalanche professionals are still monitoring three buried surface hoar layers in the upper 150 cm, with recent reports of hard, but still sudden snowpack test results down around 120cm and 140-170cm.
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.
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.