We are pressed under a cold Arctic airmass with rock bottom temperatures. Consider the risk of prolonged exposure in the event of even a small incident and plan accordingly.
Winds have created a layer of hard windslab in many alpine lee features and moved snow in open areas at treeline. The wind transport has contributed to slab development with potential failure planes in the storm snow, at the January 30 facets, sun crusts, and isolated surface hoar.
No avalanches were observed or reported today.
Storm snow from last week has been redistributed into wind slabs, which now sit on top of the Jan 30 interface. This layer is active, with recent avalanche activity. The mid-pack is generally weak with facets while depth hoar over a crust forms an even weaker base. The snowpack is the weakest in eastern areas where snow depths are low. In these areas the basal weaknesses should be carefully considered.
Tomorrow's temperatures will remain as cold as today, with only a gradual warming trend through the coming week. The wind will stay light from the North, maintaining the influence of the Arctic air mass. No snow is expected, though some cloud cover may develop in the afternoon.
