Wind slabs may remain triggerable on isolated lee slopes.
Use normal caution and check all steep open slopes for slabs before committing to them.
Recent strong wind has created widespread wind effect on snow surfaces. Small wind slabs may linger on any aspect and steep open slope, including openings below treeline, although the highest likelyhood is near ridgetops.
On Thursday, explosive control near Pine Pass produced several cornice falls and entrained loose snow in the size 1.5 to 2.5 range.
Several size 1.5-2 wind slabs occurred on southwesterly slopes in the Pine Pass during Tuesday and Wednesday's strong winds.
Shooting cracks were also observed at Morfee on Tuesday and Pine Pass on Friday.
Looking forward, triggering avalanches is unlikely, except for on steep wind-loaded slopes in isolated areas.
Previous strong winds funnelled deep into valleys creating extensive wind effect on all aspects. This included even lower elevations with openings below treeline in some areas. Wind slabs developed on leeward slopes and crossloaded features, which are likely stubborn to trigger by now.
On some ridgetops, the wind stripped the snow in wind-exposed terrain down to the early-February melt-freeze crust. In wind-sheltered terrain, around 30 to 60 cm of snow overlies this crust. It seems well-bonded and is not considered a problem at this time.
The remainder of the snowpack is consolidated with no layers of concern.
Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy. 0 to 2 cm of snow. 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -18 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 0 to 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -16 °C.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. 0 to 4 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
