New snow and wind will mean that storm slabs are likely to be encountered, and may be reactive to human triggering, especially in wind loaded areas.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain
Weather Forecast
FRIDAY NIGHT - Flurries, 5-10 cm / southerly winds, 20-40 km/h / alpine low temperature near -5SATURDAY - Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries, up to 5 cm / southwest winds, 20-50 km/h / alpine high temperature near -3 / freezing level 1900 mSUNDAY - Cloudy with flurries, 5-10 cm / southwest winds, 15-35 km/h / alpine high temperature near -2 / freezing level 1900 mMONDAY - Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries / southwest winds, 15-30 km/h / alpine high temperature near -2 / freezing level 2000 m
Avalanche Summary
On Thursday, there were a few reports of natural and human triggered storm and wind slab avalanches in the alpine, as well as a few human triggered loose wet avalanches.On Tuesday, there were two reports of natural slab avalanches, size 2-2.5. The size 2 was a west aspect on a steep moraine feature at 2100 m. The size 2.5 was on a northeast aspect at 2300 m and was triggered by an ice fall on a glacier.
Snowpack Summary
10-20 cm of recent storm snow sits on a melt-freeze crust on all aspects except for north slopes above 2000 m, where it sits on dry snow and isolated wind slabs. Recent snowfall amounts taper quickly below treeline.The base of the snowpack is composed of sugary faceted snow. The likelihood of triggering an avalanche on this layer is lower during colder periods and elevated during intense warming.Snow is disappearing rapidly at lower elevations.
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.