Terrain choice is the best tool for dealing with uncertainty.
In shady areas pick slopes with good run outs and practise safe travel techniques.
The warm/cloudy weather will help heal the weak snow. However there is still a lot of uncertainty.
Continue to be suspicious of loaded areas with poor runouts or in extreme terrain.
Avoid these areas and climbers should be ready to navigate even small pockets.
Small wind slabs may have formed around terrain features with the overnight snow.
Avoid areas of obvious new loading if deeper than boot top.
15-16-17 July - Cardrona and Remarks Patrols reporting Wind and Persistent slabs up to size 1.5 in the last on. Numerous reports of whumpfing and shooting cracks from The Remarkables on the 15th.
2-3cm of new snow overnight with SW winds.
Yesterdays warm temperatures and cloud resulted in surface softening on solar slopes at all elevations and in the Alpine (below 1800m) on shady slopes.
An upper snowpack of dense snow has formed over weak faceted snow in shady areas.
In general the snowpack is still very thin with windward (NW, W, SW) slopes scoured back to ground or a crust old surface.
SW winds and precipitation clearing early. FAFL dropping from 1800 - 1400.
Firm conditions do now exist. Likely to be found in terrain exposed to the western winds. Caution required in steep terrain.
Moderate
New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZ Mountain Safety Council)
