Winds continue to build 10-15cm thick slabs. There reactiveness is slowly increasing as some whumphing and cracking was noted on Saturday. Spike in temperatures and high winds may increase the danger Monday to Wednesday.
Weather Forecast
Monday: warm front, 6mm precipitation, isolated freezing rain, temps increasing yet remain below 0. Ridge winds 50-80km/hr NW. Tuesday: Sun, temperature spike, alpine plus temps, 50-70km/hr NW winds. Wednesday: cooler temps, 125km/hr alpine and 50km/hr treeline winds. Good confidence on warming but low confidence on exact temperature values.
Snowpack Summary
Winds have formed thin slabs out of Wednesday's 30cm storm snow at alpine and exposed treeline locations. The snowpack remains thin and facetted at lower elevations. Above tree line its thicker and supportive. A buried a surface hoar-surface facet layer 30cm down from Jan 6 is lurking but remains stubborn.
Avalanche Summary
Thursday's explosive control on low elevation targets released several size 2 slabs and loose snow avalanches. Natural activity has remain limited since then as cold temperatures locked it down. No new natural activity was noted Saturday; however, we observed pockets of 10-15cm thick windslabs, minor whumphing and cracking. No Sunday patrol.
Confidence
Freezing levels are uncertain on Monday
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.