Wind from a variety of directions has formed wind slabs on all aspects which may still be sensitive to human triggers. Be careful when transitioning into wind affected terrain.
Wind has recently switched direction from northwest to southwest and back again. Most of the recent avalanches released within the recent storm snow or on the thick rain crust underneath. Wind slabs might still be sensitive to human triggers.
Aside from a few bouts of potentially strong wind, we continue to be in a rather benign weather pattern which is expected to be with us for the foreseeable future.
MONDAY NIGHT: Freezing level at valley bottom, moderate west/northwest wind, no significant precipitation expected.
TUESDAY: Overcast, freezing level rising to around 1500 m in the afternoon, moderate to strong west/northwest wind, 1 to 3 cm of snow possible.
WEDNESDAY: A few clouds, freezing level rising to 1000 m in the afternoon, light variable wind, no significant precipitation expected.
THURSDAY: Broken cloud cover, freezing level rising to around 1000 m in the afternoon, moderate to strong southwest wind, 1 to 5 cm of snow possible.
After the storm on Saturday and Sunday numerous small (size 1) and a few large (size 2) avalanches were triggered with explosives and several small avalanches were triggered by skiers, this MIN from Sunday is a good example of the reported activity.
On Friday a few small (size 1) slab avalanches were triggered by skiers in lee terrain features.
On Thursday a few large (size 2-2.5) slab avalanches released naturally during the night. One large (size 3) slab avalanche was triggered by explosives in the west of the region. Several small (size 1-1.5) slab avalanches were triggered by skiers mainly on south and east aspects.
The wind shifted direction and redistributed the snow onto a variety of aspects loading lee terrain features at treeline and in the alpine. The recent storm snow sits on a thick rain crust as high as 2000 m and varies from 25-45 cm in the east of the region to 40-100 cm in the west of the region. Recent avalanches slid on the crust or released within the storm snow.
Weak facet/crust layers near the base of the snowpack have not been an active avalanche problem recently.
