The snowpack is not improving. This is not the time to venture into big terrain. Large natural avalanches continue to occur.
Weather Forecast
Generally calm and sunny on Wednesday with Alpine temperatures near -6 Celsius. Light flurries are expected to move into the region late Wednesday or Thursday morning, but snow accumulations will not be significant.
Avalanche Summary
A few naturally triggered slabs in Alpine terrain on North, East and West aspects in the past 24 hours up to size 2.5. In addition, a couple of small solar triggered avalanches occurred on steep south-east and south aspects in the past 24 hours.
Snowpack Summary
Surface hoar was observed up to 2200m in sheltered locations. This may be a layer of concern in the future if it ever snows again. Moist snow was found on solar aspects in the Alpine and at Treeline by early afternoon today. Wind slabs are widespread at all elevations except for very sheltered areas below treeline. Compression Test results today at TL on an East aspect produced moderate shears down 100cm in the basal facets. The bottom half of the snowpack remains very weak and facetted.
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.