Slap on your shades and lather up with sunscreen... warm temps and sunny skies mean spring conditions for the weekend - expect fast travel in the morning, and rising avalanche hazard as the day heats up.
Previous SW winds loaded up lee features. These slabs are up to 30 cm deep and sitting on top of a crust on all but northerly alpine aspects.
Cornices are LARGE and may be sensitive to temperature fluctuations, solar radiation, wind loading or just your mere presence nearby. Take necessary precautions if approaching them to access your line and limit your exposure below them.
Sun and warm temperatures will increase the hazard through out the day.
Moist/wet surface snow, snowballing and water running on rocks are all signs of instability.
Sunny periods and elevated freezing levels (FZL) are forecast through Sunday.
Tonight: Clear periods, Alpine low -4*C, FZL 1500m, light ridge winds
Saturday: Sunny periods, Alpine high -1*C, FZL 2100m, light W wind
Sunday: Mostly sunny, low -2*C, high 0*C, FZL 2200m, moderate S wind
Mon: Isolated flurries, low -4*C, high 0*C, FZL 2100m, strong SW wind
In the alpine, windslabs from SW winds will gain reactivity as temps rise. A breakable surface crust can be found up to 2400m.
The April 18th crust, down 5-30 cm, is widespread up to 2200m & on alpine solar aspects.
Below treeline, the snowpack has gone through several melt-freeze cycles & is capped by a crust that breaks down with daytime warming.
On Friday, there was a cycle of solar triggered size 1-2 loose snow avalanches on slopes where the sun popped out briefly, and one notable natural size 3 slab avalanche from a West aspect at treeline on Avalanche Crest (suspected to be windslab on the April 18th crust).
Neighbours have also been reporting reactive storm snow on the April 18th Crust.
