Strong West winds combined with an additional 10-20 cm of new snow may build fresh and reactive wind slabs.
Fresh and reactive wind slabs may exist at upper elevations.
This brings up to 70 cm of consolidated snow above a crust at treeline and above.
Springtime cornices are large and unpredictable. Give them a wide berth when travelling at ridge crest and avoid overhead exposure.
A cool and unstable weather pattern will exist through the weekend.
Friday Night: New snow 5-10 cm. Moderate to strong West winds at ridgetop and freezing levels near valley bottom.
Saturday/ Sunday: Cloudy possible sunny periods with new snow 5-10 cm. Moderate ridgetop wind from the northeast. Freezing levels 1000 m. Alpine temperatures near -10 C.
Monday: Mix of sun and cloud. Freezing level near 700 m and alpine temperatures -15 C. Ridgetop winds light from the West.
On Thursday, in the Renshaw area, the field team reported a natural cornice fall from a North-facing alpine slope. This cornice triggered a size 2 slab avalanche from the slope below.
A new surface crust may exist to 2000 m and higher on southerly aspects and 10 cm of new snow may be found in the alpine.
Over the past week, up to 50 cm of storm snow blanketed upper elevations. Light to moderate wind may have redistributed the storm snow in exposed high elevation terrain forming pockets of wind slab and large cornices.
50-70 cm of consolidated snow sits on the thick melt-freeze crust from late March. There has been no recent avalanche activity reported on this layer.
