Cool temperatures are preventing Spring from settling in completely. Winter-like avalanche concerns still exist at higher elevations, especially on N aspects. Keep a close eye on solar radiation on S, SW and W aspects.
Weather Forecast
Alpine temperatures will still be cool on Tuesday, but solar radiation is intense. The freezing level will rise to 1900m. Winds should remain light from the North and no precipitation is in the forecast.
Avalanche Summary
Nothing new observed today.
Snowpack Summary
Daily melt-freeze cycles continue, but only on steep S, SW and W aspects. Otherwise little change in the snowpack. Buried wind slabs still exist in Alpine and Treeline terrain. These slabs are a concern in unsupported convex features. A variety of crusts are found depending on aspects and elevation, which should be monitored carefully. Cornices are quite large and are becoming sensitive to triggering in the afternoon due to intense solar radiation.
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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.