Persistent slabs have become unlikely to trigger but there is enough of a wind slab problem out there to keep you on your toes. Sticking to sheltered powder is the way to go.
Fresh wind slabs have been reactive, even touchy to human-triggering on the west slope of the region through Wednesday and may still react to skier or rider traffic.
Wind slabs formed with 20 cm of new snow were touchy to human triggering on north through west aspects in the alpine on Tuesday in the MacGregors, producing releases to size 2. Continuing wind loading kept the same pattern active on Wednesday. Observations elsewhere have been limited.
During the storm on the weekend, a widespread natural avalanche cycle occurred, with wind slabs to size 3.5 on north to east aspects at upper elevations and loose wet up to size 2 below treeline.
20 to 30 cm of snow since March 7 overlies wind-affected old surfaces in the alpine and a crust that extends to ridgetop. Wind slab formation from easterly winds occurred with the earlier storm accumulations, now buried. The crust becomes supportive at lower elevations and is 5 cm thick below 1400 m. The thicker it is, the more effectively it caps deeper layers.
Another crust with faceted snow above, buried at treeline and below in February, is found around 100 to 160 cm deep. It's becoming well bonded to the surrounding snow and at lower elevations will be capped by more recent crust. Warming will test it again next week.
The remainder of the snowpack is well consolidated with no other layers of concern.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy with isolated flurries. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
Friday
A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries, up to 5 cm of new snow, including the overnight. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.
Saturday
A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.
Sunday
A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
