Expect Tuesday's warm temperature and solar radiation to have an effect on steep solar aspects.
Weather Forecast
Tuesday will see a relative warm spell! Only -22 in the morning with a high of -8. Light SE winds and of course, no snow.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches observed. Avalanche control is planned on the Spray starting at 11:00am on Tuesday March 5, 2019. This will occur between Three Sisters Dam(Spray West Campground turn off and Buller Day use).
Snowpack Summary
Cold, dry and often loose snow is the flavor of the month so far. We are still seeing windslabs near ridges and cross loaded areas, but these seem to loose there typical "cakey" character very quickly. Despite not having a traditional windslab feel to them, they could still react simply because the underlying layers are weak, aerated facets. As you get further down slope there is eventually no slab, or any true structure to the snow. In un-traveled areas, expect a weak, occasionally bottomless snowpack. A big change in temperature and solar effect is expected for Tuesday. It would not be surprising to see avalanche activity on solar 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.
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.
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.