Regions
Northwest Inland.
A bit of new snow will combine with strong southwest winds to keep wind slab problems active on Saturday. The first big warm up of spring will bring deeper weak layers into consideration early in the week.
Weather Forecast
Friday night: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries bringing a trace of new snow. Moderate southwest winds. Saturday: Cloudy with increasing scattered flurries bringing approximately 5 cm of new snow. Strong southwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -1 with freezing levels rising 1500 metres, increasing overnight.Sunday: Cloudy with sunny periods and possible isolated wet flurries, or rain below 1600 metres. Light south winds. Alpine high temperatures around +1 as freezing levels rise to 2000 metres by end of day and increase overnight.Monday: Sunny with cloudy periods. Light southeast winds. Alpine high temperatures around +5 with freezing levels rising to 2500 metres, increasing again overnight.
Avalanche Summary
There were few observers in the field this week but reports showed a natural avalanche cycle of storm and wind slabs up to size 2 early in the week.
Snowpack Summary
25 to 50 cm of slightly upside down (higher density on top) storm snow has accumulated since Monday. This recent snow rests on previously wind affected surfaces, sun crusts (on solar aspects) and weak, sugary facets. The prolonged period of cold temperatures in February has had an overall effect of weakening the upper and mid-snowpack, as well as the basal snowpack in thinner areas.In the south of the region the lower snowpack is generally strong.
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.