Increasing wind has the potential to form new wind slabs.
New wind slabs may form at higher elevations due to northerly wind. This means that slabs may be found on southerly slopes, which is atypical for the region. Look for signs of instability and be cautious if you enter steep features.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Clear skies, 40 km/h north wind, alpine temperature -11 C.
WEDNESDAY: Clear skies, 20 to 40 km/h northeast wind, alpine temperature -10 C.
THURSDAY: Increasing clouds with afternoon snowfall, accumulation 2 to 5 cm, 30 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -7 C.
FRIDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 10 to 20 cm, 40 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -9 C.
A small slab was triggered on a steep northeast aspect on Monday in the south of the region. Otherwise, a few small loose wet avalanches were observed on steep, sun-exposed slopes.
Moderate to strong northerly wind is forecast Monday night. Alpine terrain is already heavily wind affected but small pockets of new wind slab may form on southerly aspects. At treeline elevations, soft snow exists to be blown by the wind, so new slabs could form and may overly a melt-freeze crust from the recent warm and sunny spell. Below treeline, the snow surface is expected to moisten during the day below the freezing level and freeze into a melt-freeze crust at night.
There are presently no widespread deeper concerns. However, faceted snow at the base of the snowpack exists in much of the region and always has the potential of being triggered in shallow, rocky slopes.
