Regions
Northwest Inland.
Not much change is expected until we see a significant weather pattern change. Remember, low danger does not mean no danger.
Confidence
Moderate - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
Sunday: Mainly cloudy. The freezing level is at the surface. Winds are light or moderate from the S-SW. Monday: Cloudy with sunny breaks. The freezing level is at the surface and a temperature inversion is likely. Winds are moderate from the SW. Tuesday: Cloudy with flurries. The freezing level is at the surface and winds are moderate or strong from the SW.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported but watch for loose snow sluffing in steep terrain and sun-exposed slopes, and small wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded terrain in the alpine.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 15 cm of dry snow sits on a variety of old surfaces including a melt-freeze crust on solar aspects in the alpine, smooth old snow on higher elevation lee slopes, and well-developed surface hoar in sheltered areas at treeline and lower elevations. This dry surface snow could be capped by a sun crust on some steep solar aspects, or a fresh layer of surface hoar on sheltered and shady slopes. Variable winds have created soft wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded terrain in alpine areas. The mid and lower snowpack is generally strong.
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.