New snow and wind are forming fresh slabs over a slippery crust. Avoid freshly wind loaded terrain features and watch for signs of instability like cracking or recent avalanches.
Incremental inputs of new snow accompanied by strong wind continue to form fresh wind slabs on lee features at treeline and above.
Cornices overhead are a primary concern during sunny, warm, or windy conditions. Cornice failures may trigger large persistent slab avalanches that would otherwise be difficult to trigger.
Thursday night: Flurries around 5 cm, strong northwest wind, freezing level 1200 m.
Friday: Flurries 5-10 cm, strong southwest wind, high of +1, freezing level 1200 m.
Saturday: Flurries 5-10 cm overnight then easing, moderate west wind, high of -2, freezing level 800 m.
Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud, light northwest wind, high of -4, freezing level valley bottom.
Several skier triggered size 1 wind slabs were reported on Tuesday and Wednesday. The size and distribution of the slabs are expected to increase as snow accumulates.
Incremental inputs of new snow are being loaded into leeward terrain features by strong wind. These fresh wind slabs sit over a thick rain crust. The 10-20 cm thick rain crust makes human triggering of avalanches on weak layers deeper in the snowpack very unlikely.
Cornices overhead are a primary concern during sunny, warm, or windy conditions. Cornice failures can trigger very large persistent slab avalanches that would otherwise be difficult to human trigger.
