Recent snow and strong winds from shifting directions which have formed fresh wind slabs on a variety of aspects at treeline and above. Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain and avoid slopes with large cornices overhead.
5-20 cm. of recent snow has been accompanied by periods of strong winds from shifting directions which have formed fresh wind slabs on a variety of aspects at treeline and above.
Wind slabs up to 50 cm. thick have recently been reported on lee and cross loaded slopes in the alpine.
Cornices are large and looming along many ridgelines and have likely grown with the recent wind.
Strong solar radiation and warming are common triggers for cornice failures which could trigger large avalanches.
Small wet loose avalanches may start to run naturally on steep solar aspects when the sun comes out.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Clearing skies / Moderate, northwest ridgetop wind / alpine low temperature -13 / Freezing level valley bottom.
SUNDAY: Sunny / Moderate, northwest ridgetop wind / alpine high temperature -3 / Freezing level 800 m.
MONDAY: Sunny / Light, south ridgetop wind / alpine high temperature 0 / Freezing level 1500 m.
TUESDAY: Sunny / Moderate, west ridgetop wind / alpine high temperature 4 / Freezing level rapidly rising to 2000 m.
A few explosive triggered wind slabs up to size 2.5 were reported in this region on Friday.
5-20 cm. of recent snow has been accompanied by periods of strong winds from shifting directions which have formed fresh wind slabs on a variety of aspects at treeline and above. Wind slabs up to 50 cm. thick have recently been reported on lee and cross loaded slopes.
The recent snow has covered a variety of snow surfaces, including wind affected snow, crusts on solar aspects and at lower elevations, and soft snow on sheltered slopes at upper elevations.
Cornices are large, looming, and capable of triggering large avalanches when they fail.
The lower snowpack is reported as well settled and strong in most areas. However, weak facets exist at the base of the snowpack in the more shallow snowpack zones across the region. Where it exists, this layer has the potential to be triggered on steep, rocky slopes with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack; especially with large loads such as a cornice fall.
