Up to 30cm of snow forecasted starting on Thursday with warming temperatures and strong Southwest winds. If this precipitation materializes, expect natural avalanche activity and touchy new windslabs, particularly at upper elevations.
Weather Forecast
Wednesday night will see another low pressure system move in, bringing ~20cm of snow by Thursday night, warmer temps (alpine high of -8) with strong SW winds.
Snowpack Summary
10cm of storm snow (past 72hrs) with light-moderate NE winds have loaded Southerly aspects. Surface faceting and surface hoar (Feb 3) has been buried creating a weak interface in the upper snowpack. Poor bonding between these layers is expected. The mid-pack is facetted and weak with depth hoar at its base.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanche observations or reports today.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Thursday
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.