Overall, avalanche conditions are fairly safe. Two things I've noticed over the last couple of days is 1) the snow surface is loose enough that a person can initiate sluffing on very steep slopes, and 2) there are small shallow wind drifts scattered about that a person can get to crack out on very steep slopes. Neither of these issues pose much threat as long as you are aware of them before getting onto steep slopes.
Snow surface discussion:
During longer periods of high pressure, avalanche forecasters often are paying attention to what the snow surface is doing. We look for small grains of sugary snow forming in the top few inches. This has definitely happened over the last two weeks of high pressure. The surface feels a little slippery when climbing on skis. It is slightly "loud" with a "swooshing" noise when you ski through it. The track on my snowbike tends to slide out on steep side hills. A person can initiate sluffing on very steep slopes. This all points to the surface becoming loose with small grain "near surface facets". The reason we keep an eye on today's surface is that it may become tomorrow's weak layer once it's buried.
All that said, it may or it may not turn into a significant weak layer that causes avalanches. It all depends on future weather. Strong wind can blow the surface snow around forming stout drifts and crusts which make the loose sugary snow more "spotty" and unevenly distributed. Future storms may stack up snow in a manner where the weak snow never gets the proper load or structure on it to create slab avalanches. It is all very uncertain but one thing is for sure. Long periods of high pressure often result in weak surface snow that can produce avalanches. Therefore, we pay attention to it as it forms and how it behaves after it's buried.
