Expect loose dry sluffing in steep terrain and which will run fast where a crust is present.
Good skiing in the alpine rapidly deteriorates below 2000m with moist snow, old avalanche debris and a record low snowpack.
New snow accompanied by moderate winds formed soft wind slabs on leeward and cross loaded features in the alpine. This windslab is bonding poorly to the Feb 3 layer down 20-30. Where this windslab sits on a crust, it is particularly reactive and has the potential to run far.
20-40 cm of light snow is triggerable in steep terrain. This problem is more reactive where a crust below provides a good bed surface. Expect natural loose dry activity when the sun pops out!
Midday on Wednesday, a cycle of natural and skier triggered loose dry avalanches were observed in the Connaught valley.
A group bootpacking a couloir on the S side of Avalanche Mtn triggered a sz 2.5-3 avalanche yesterday. Use caution in this extreme terrain, where the snowpack might be variable and weak.
Spring-like temperatures and rain last week triggered a widespread avalanche cycle. Many avalanches gouged to ground in gully features and reached the valley floor.
15-20cm of new snow sits over a robust crust that formed during recent warm weather. This crust becomes thin and tapers out above 2500m.
Below 2000m the new snow has become moist and heavy, as it cools there will be a breakable surface crust. This, plus refrozen avalanche debris and shallow snowpack hazards make for RUGGED travel below treeline
Warm temperatures have rounded and strengthened the mid and lower snowpack.
Expect convective flurries and a mix of sun and cloud Fri/Sat as we get into a clearing trend.
Tonight: Cloudy with clear periods, Trace amounts, Alp low -12°C, light winds, Freezing Level (FZL) 500m.
Fri: Sun/cloud, Alp high -10°C, light NW winds, FZL 900m.
Sat: Cloudy/Sun, nil precip, Alp high -6°C, West wind 15 km/hr, FZL 900m.
Sun: Cloudy, isolated flurries, 9cms, Alp high -5°C, , FZL 1300m.
