Small inputs of new snow and SW wind are building fresh wind slabs to tree-line. Watch for loose dry avalanches in steep gullies and terrain traps.
10cm of new snow with mod/strong SW wind on Sunday morning have built small but fresh new windslabs. Additional snowfall is expected, which will continue to add load and further develop these wind slabs. Watch for these as you transition into wind-affected terrain and lee features.
The natural cycle on deep facets has ended, but human-triggered avalanches remain possible. Occasional large results are still seen with explosives, mainly on the east side of the forecast area, especially in thin-to-thick snowpack transitions.
Sunshine patrol reported triggering small thin wind slabs in the new snow with explosives and ski cuts. No other avalanches were reported or observed.
Up to 10 cm of new snow on Sunday with moderate/strong SW alpine winds now sit over previous surfaces, which include older windslabs, surface hoar to treeline, and some suncrust on steep solar aspects.
There is 40-80 cm over the Dec 15 melt-freeze crust, which is present to 1800-2000 m, and 80-160 cm over the November facet/crust interfaces. In thinner snowpack areas, facets are present at the base.
Treeline snow depths range from 100-200+ cm.
Over the next 48 hours, temperatures will remain seasonally average, with valley lows near -5 °C and ridgetop temperatures around -8 °C. Snowfall will continue at roughly 5 cm per day on the low end and up to 10 cm per day on the high end, with 5–10 cm overnight and another 5–10 cm possible into Wednesday morning. Southwest winds will strengthen into the strong range and remain elevated through Wednesday.
