Strong Easterly gap wind is creating wind slabs at tree line and below on Tuesday with a classic Yoho blow. Ice climbers should be wary of approaching ice climbs with open slopes.
Strong easterly gap wind on Tuesday is forming wind slabs at tree line and below in the Field area. Weather station wind data shows lower wind speeds in the alpine and less likely to form fresh wind slabs.
A 20-60 cm slab overlies weak basal facets which continue to get weaker each day. No recent natural avalanches have been observed, but we expect human triggering to remain possible on large slopes. This problem will be around for the foreseeable future.
No avalanches were observed or reported on Tuesday.
The snowpack is shallow and weak with a base of facets and depth hoar. A 20-60 cm slab overlies this weak base and could easily be triggered in some locations. Loose, faceted sluffs are being triggered below treeline in some locations and any avalanches that do release will run further than expected with the cohesion-less snow.
Bitter cold with lows close to -35 on Wednesday. The wind will continue into the strong range from the East on Tuesday. A warming trend with some snow is expected over the weekend.
