Warm air and rain may destabilize the snowpack at lower elevations, with new wind slabs potentially forming up high.
Adjust your travel plans accordingly to the changing conditions of elevation and time of day.
Wind slabs may be found in wind-loaded terrain in the alpine, formed by snowfall and southwesterly winds. These wind slabs will be most reactive where they overlie a slick crust.
Rain at lower elevations may cause the surface crust to break down. Pay attention to how thick and supportive the crust is, and avoid steep slopes when the crust starts to weaken and become unsupportive to your weight.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with light precipitation. 15-40km/h southwest winds. Freezing level dropping to 500 m.
SUNDAY: Cloudy with precipitation, 5-10 cm of new snow accumulation at higher elevations. 10-30 km/h southwest winds. Freezing level rising to 1800 m.
MONDAY: Cloudy with precipitation, 5-10 cm of new snow accumulation at higher elevations. 15-40 km/h northwest winds. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.
TUESDAY: Mainly clear. 10-30 km/h southwest winds. Freezing level rising to 2200 m.
During the warm-up last week, widespread loose wet and wet slab avalanche activity occurred.
On Thursday, a natural wind slab (size 2) was observed in the alpine from southwest winds redistributing new snow.
Looking forward, riders may be able to trigger wind slabs in lee terrain features in the alpine and wet loose avalanches in steep terrain at treeline and below.
Up to 15 cm of recent snowfall tapers rapidly with elevation. Southwest wind have formed small pockets of windslab in the alpine. A refrozen crust can be found below the new snow on all aspects as high as 2400 m. This crust is expected to break down throughout the day at low elevations with rain and warm temperatures. Below the crust, the top 10-30 cm of the snowpack is moist. At very low elevations, the snowpack may become wet and isothermal.
There are no deeper concerns at this time.
