Lingering wind slabs may remain reactive to human triggers on lee features in the alpine.
Whumpfing, cracking, and hollow sounds are all signs of instability that should cause you to back off into lower angle or less wind-loaded terrain.
Lingering wind slabs may remain reactive on lee features in the alpine.
Whumpfing, cracking, and hollow sounds are all signs of instability that should cause you to back off into lower angle or less wind-loaded terrain.
MONDAY NIGHT: Increasing cloudiness / Extreme, west wind / Low of -11.
TUESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Strong, northwest wind / High of -5.
WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with flurries; 3-5 cm / Strong, west wind / High of -3.
THURSDAY: Snow; 5-10 cm / Strong, west wind / High of -3.
No new avalanches were reported on Sunday. However, we have had no field observations since Saturday.
On Friday, our field team reported significant cracking on features that had recently been loaded by the wind.
Whumpfing, cracking, and hollow sounds are all signs of instability that should cause you to back off into lower angle or less wind-loaded terrain.
10-15 cm of recent snow has been hammered by strong southwest winds. Expect wind-affected surfaces on all but the most sheltered north aspects.
Wind slabs are likely present on lee features at all elevations and may remain reactive to human triggers.
This overlies a hard crust that extends up to at least 1200 m on solar aspects. Below this, the mid-pack is generally well-settled and strong in most areas.
Weak facets (sugary snow) exist at the base of the snowpack, especially in more shallow snowpack areas such as the Inland areas.
