Large amounts of snow over the past week have created a couple new problems within the snowpack. A weakness in the snowpack about 2 feet under the surface (buried surface-hoar) is currently very avalanched prone. If triggered, expect to see this layer avalanche on any slope steep enough to slide (above 30 degrees). Stay away from all aspects above treeline where slopes are steep enough to slide. The Avalanche Center has received multiple reports of natural and human triggered avalanches over the last 48 hours. Many of them on slopes not known to slide in the past. Because of the persistence of buried surface hoar layers, this problem may stick around for a couple days or weeks. It's a wide spread layer across all 3 zones.
A very weak surface hoar layer was buried by the last snow storm. There's 12''-24'' of snow covering this layer now. Tests on the snowpack yesterday proved to show how unstable and avalanche proned this layer is. Due to the likelyhood of avalanches, backcounty travel is not recommended at this time on or near any slope steep enough to produce an avalanche.
The interface of old snow and new snow also within the snowpack is also susceptible to failure. I anticipate this layer to heal quicker than the buried surface hoar layer, but currently is still a concern.
Today we'll see a small break in the weather but will return to stormier weather by Tuesday night and into Wednesday.
