The light precipitations of the last two days are adding up to some nice turns below tree line. Aim for the slopes where the forest is a bit thicker, and be aware of the weak snow cover at lower elevations.
Wind slabs of varying depths have developed in isolated areas on the northwest to east slopes due to sustained winds. Although the wind slabs are at their weakest within 24 hours of their formation, skier triggering is still possible on the Dec 8 crust. The lack of snow in the area may give you very little information and few signs of instability.
No new avalanche activity has been observed or reported.
Please continue to share your observations at [email protected], or with the Mountain Information Network. It helps strengthen our data gathering.
At lower elevations, 5 to 10 cm of low density snow overlies the crust created by the freezing cycle after the Dec 23rd storm. This crust does not quite support the weight of a skier. As we gain altitude, the crust fades to a slightly denser snow interface, covered by 10 to 20 cm of low density snow. Our tests have shown that the new snow of the past 48 hours does not yet bond well to this storm interface. The alpine, exposed to the strong to extreme winds of recent weather events, is generally back to crust or even bare ground. However, significant amounts of storm snow, and windblown snow, can be found in isolated areas on the N to E aspects.
The average height of the snowpack is still very thin, from about 30 cm in the valley to 80 cm at mid elevations, and extremely variable in different places.
Despite the fresh snow, the snow cover remains weak, especially at lower altitudes. You will have to work a bit to reach the snowier areas, which are, for the moment, below tree line, at higher altitude.
Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits. Alternating low and high pressure systems will bring a few more centimetres by Wednesday. Southwest winds are expected and temperatures will remain cold, keeping the freezing level at valley bottom.
Monday evening and night: Partly cloudy. Light precipitation. Southwesterly winds 35-45 km/h in the evening. Min -14C. Freezing level at valley bottom.
Tuesday: Cloudy. Light precipitation. Wind from the west around 30 km/h, increasing in the pm to 40 km/h. Max -12C. Freezing at valley bottom.
Wednesday: Cloudy. 2 cm of snow. Wind from the west, at 45 km/h. Max -14C.
Thursday: Mix of sun and clouds. No precipitation. Wind from 20 to 30 km/h. Max -12C.
For more details, check out the Chic-Chocs alpine weather forecast.
