The snowpack is in a complicated transition at this moment. In many places at TL and below a saturated snowpack is now insulated under a warm blanket of new snow. Coming cold overnight temps will improve travel and reduce the present hazard.
New snow at tree line and lower alpine can be developing as a storm slab with warmer temperatures and minimal wind. Check how well the new snow is bonding to the old surfaces such as crusts.
Warm precipitation and cloud coverage will prevent a strong overnight freeze. Make sure to investigate the strength of surface crust in the late hours of the day.
Melting and free water in the snowpack is waking up old interfaces. Even small features can produce extremely destructive and dangerous wet slabs.
Overnight: Cloudy with clear periods. Alpine temperature: Low -8 °C. Winds light, 15 km/h. FZL valley Bottom
Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud. Alpine temperature: High -1 °C. Wind light ,15 km/h. FZL: 2200 m
Wednesday: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Trace. Low -9 °C, High -4 °C. Mostly light winds. FZL: 1700m
Up to 25cm of new snow above 2000 m with minimal wind effect overlies sun crust at all elevations and a melt-freeze crust up to 2100m on all aspects. Snow pack below 1700m is mostly isothermal and unsupportive due to steady warm temperatures and rain.
Natural slab/loose wet avalanche cycle occurring in the region, especially BTL. Control work producing predictable loose wet and loose slabs from low elevation targets. Few observations due to very poor visibility.
