Even though the cracking and collapsing of recent past weren't an issue on my tour today, the persistent weak layer (PWL) is still very much in play as evidenced by an energetic planar fracture in my compression test. In some ways the danger is decreasing because the PWL is harder to trigger and in others the danger is increasing because wind loading and significant new snow in the forecast will stress this weak layer. This problem seems more relevant on polar aspects, as the warm weather at the end of January created a notable suncrust on solar aspects that should make the PWL harder to trigger in those places.

Strong gusty winds are clearly loading leeward aspects and I expect to see avalanches in the wind drifted snow.