Wind slabs in the alpine are becoming reactive to human triggering. The snowpack below treeline is still very thin, with many early season hazards.
Weather Forecast
The ridge of high pressure will provide clearing skies today and Friday, with lingering valley fog. A strong polar cold front will move in for the weekend, bringing unsettled weather, moderate snow accumulations, and moderate to strong winds.
Snowpack Summary
Touchy wind slabs have developed in the alpine, 20 to 50 cm thick. A rain crust buried on Nov. 6 is now down 60cm from the surface. This crust has the potential to become a weak sliding layer. At lower elevations, snow coverage is very thin.
Avalanche Summary
Skiers directly and remotely triggered slab avalanches near Balu Pass yesterday on a NE aspect, resulting in partial burials with no injuries. Several size 1.5 to 2.5 slabs were observed on very steep terrain east of the summit above the highway.
Confidence
Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Saturday
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.