Triggering avalanches remains possible where winds have drifted the recent snow into slabs. Seek out sheltered slopes and monitor for these conditions if travelling in wind-exposed areas.
Strong southwest winds have blown recent snow into stiff wind slabs in lee features at alpine and treeline. Natural activity may have subsided but human triggering remains possible.
Mild temperatures are helping the basal weak layers to adjust and the snowpack to strengthen. Deep persistent slab avalanches on these layers are unlikely but may still be triggered from shallow snowpack areas near rocky outcroppings.
Sunday night: Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries, light southwest winds gusting moderate, alpine temperature -3 C, freezing level around 1300 m.
Monday: Cloudy with periods of sun, isolated flurries, light southwest winds, alpine high temperature -3 C, freezing level around 1500 m.
Tuesday: Mix of sun and cloud, isolated flurries, light southwest winds, alpine high temperature -2 C, freezing level around 1500 m.
Wednesday: Mix of sun and cloud, moderate southwest winds, alpine high temperature -3 C, freezing level 1400 m.
A recent natural, large (size 2.5) wind slab avalanche was reported on Saturday.
On January 16th, a natural, size 2 wind slab stepped down to the deep persistent basal facets below a rock band, details here.
Recent strong west winds have formed stiff wind slabs in exposed areas on leeward aspects at and above treeline. A crust can be found up to treeline and on solar aspects in the alpine due to recent daytime warming and sun exposure.
A well consolidated mid-pack overlies a generally weak basal snowpack. The bottom 10-20 cm of the snowpack consists of facets and deteriorating crusts. Although inherently weak, the benign weather pattern this week will likely promote a decreasing trend in reactivity for this avalanche problem. Areas that are most likely to harbor this problem are shallow, rocky start zones.
