Purcells

Watch for pockets of windslab in the alpine. We continue to be concerned about a weak layer of surface hoar buried down 40-60 cm. Dig down to evaluate if this condition exists in your area.

High

Modified arctic air has drifted down from the north, pushed by light northerly winds and a noticeable absence of a jet stream. Valleys may continue to have low level clouds for the duration of the forecast period. Some thin high cloud may block the sun at times in the alpine, but generally the region should have broken skies for the next few days. There may be some very light precipitation in the form of flurries over the next few days, however at this time the region looks pretty dry until at least Wednesday. The colder arctic air is forecast to stay in the Rockies and further east. The north and east of the Purcells will probably see the coolest temperatures, but should not be much below -12 in the alpine. Winds are expected to remain light, but should become westerly sometime Saturday afternoon or evening.

No new natural avalanches reported. Some sluffing reported in steep terrain.

Light new snow falls have buried large surface hoar on all aspects at and below treeline and on shaded aspects in the alpine. Easterly winds associated with the new snow may have disturbed surface hoar in the alpine. New snow on southerly aspects may be sitting on a sun crust and/or surface hoar, providing an easy sliding layer. The new snow should be mostly unconsolidated except where it has been re-distributed by the wind. Fresh wind slabs may be sitting on 10-20 cm of facetted snow on all but steep solar exposed aspects. In the southern Purcells, (west of Kimberley), a prominent layer of buried surface hoar has shown to be reactive to human triggers. In this part of the region, it's buried down 40 cm with a cohesive slab above it. Shallow snowpack areas and moraine features may have weak facetted snow near the ground that will require time and some warming to strengthen.