Cooling trend with light snow and strong SW wind. If snowfall exceeds forecast, wind may build small windslabs in the alpine.
A facet/crust interface from Jan is buried 70–160+ cm deep. In the alpine, large triggers, such as cornice falls or surface avalanches, may initiate this layer. We have seen very little activity on this over the past week.
Sunshine patrol reported a widespread, solar-driven loose wet cycle to size 1.5 in the surrounding backcountry on Monday. This occurred on all aspects and elevations, except high polar aspects.
A recreational party in Little Yoho also reported a solar-driven loose wet cycle to size 1.5 on Monday.
No cornice failures were noted; however, cornices are large and generally suspicious across the forecast region. See photo.
Sun crusts on solar aspects extend to ridgeline. Shady aspects hold dry, settled snow above 2300 m. Temperature crusts are forming below 2300 m, with isothermal snow at lower elevations. The March 20 rain crust is 10–50 cm deep and extends to 2100–2300 m or higher. The January 24 persistent weak layer (facets over crust) is down 70–160+ cm and is becoming non-reactive. Below this, the snowpack is generally strong with no significant weaknesses.
A cold front edges into the region early Tuesday morning, bringing a cooling trend. Valley temperatures drop to slightly below zero, with ridgetop temperatures near -13°C. Light snowfall is expected, with modelled totals up to 6 cm. Winds will increase into the strong range from the southwest as the front leans into the region.
