Rising freezing levels and temperatures indicate a shift towards spring-like diurnal swings in the alpine. 🌞
Even though daytime temperatures will be slightly cooler, the sun will still have a significant effect on the snowpack. Plan to travel early and be off steep slopes before the heat of the day.
This is combination of midseason persistent weak layers and the weak facets & depth hoar at the bottom of the snowpack. Field team observed 3 x size 2 deep persistent slab avalanches on Saturday 26th. These were triggered by smaller avalanches, which then stepped down to these weaker layers.
Northerly aspects in the alpine are beginning to produce wet loose avalanches up to size 1 on steep terrain features.
In sheltered northerly slopes above 2600m, anywhere from 5-20 cm of soft snow exists. Isolated wind slabs exist on wind exposed lee slopes in the alpine. The upper snowpack at treeline and below is a series of crusts. In the alpine, the lower snowpack is dry, faceted, and weak. High north aspects offer the best spring riding conditions, though the snowpack remains susceptible to triggering deeper, unstable layers.
Overnight: Isolated flurries. Low -2 °C. Light SW winds. The freezing level remains above 1900 metres.
Tuesday: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. High -2 °C. Light W-ly winds Freezing level: 2100 metres.
Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud. Low -7 °C, High 2 °C. Ridge wind west: 10-25 km/h. Freezing level: 2400 metres.
