Hard wind slabs exist on unusual aspects and elevations. Identifying slopes that could avalanche may be more challenging than usual.
Recently formed hard wind slabs may exist on unusual aspects and elevations. They may propagate farther than normal and show little to no warning signs of instability due to their hardness and a possible weak layer below.
A few skier-triggered hard wind slab avalanches have been reported since Wednesday, size 1 to 2, on a variety of aspects at treeline and in alpine terrain.
A remotely triggered avalanche on Wednesday suggests these dense new slabs may be resting on a weak crust with facets in areas.
Looking forward, these hard slabs will be harder to trigger than soft wind slabs, but have the potential to propagate farther and be more destructive.
The upper snowpack has been heavily wind-affected across most aspects and elevations. Most exposed areas have been scoured down to old crusts or sastrugi, while on leeward slopes, recently formed wind slabs persist at and above treeline, and even in open terrain below treeline.
In isolated, wind-sheltered terrain, 20 to 40 cm of low-density snow overlies a surface hoar layer, primarily at treeline and below.
A January crust with associated facets is buried roughly 60 to 120 cm below the surface. Beneath this layer, the remainder of the snowpack is generally well settled and well bonded.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy. 1 cm of snow. 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.
Saturday
Mostly sunny. 30 to 60 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -14 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 3 cm of snow. 50 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -14 °C.
Monday
Mix of sun and clouds. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
