Pockets of wind slab exists in the alpine. Expect sluffing in steep terrain to travel fast and far.Good snow quality exists at tree line and above.
Weather Forecast
A mix of sun and cloud for the day. The alpine with reach -11 with light ridgetop winds from the Southwest. Freezing level will hovering around 800m. Snow and increasing winds arriving Monday and lasting through Wednesday with 15-25cm of snow forecasted.
Snowpack Summary
~30cm of recent snow covers 20-30cm of facets and/or sun crusts up to 3cm thick. Recent moderate southerly winds have deposited isolated pockets of wind slab along ridge lines and cross loaded features. The mid and lower snowpack is well settled and strong.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed along the highway corridor yesterday. Reports of natural loose dry avalanches up to sz 1.5 and skier triggered sz 1 sluffing in steep terrain (40 degree+) from the backcountry.
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.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.