Wind slabs are likely to be encountered and may be reactive to human triggering. Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, cracking, and recent avalanches.
There is still the potential to trigger persistent weak layers. Choose conservative terrain.
Moderate to strong southwest winds are expected to continue to form fresh and reactive wind slabs. Previous variable wind direction may mean that wind slabs could be found on all aspects.
60-100 cm of snow sits on a persistent weak layer of facets that was buried in mid-February.
Another persistent weak layer buried 80-120 cm deep is composed mainly of surface hoar. We are still seeing isolated activity on this layer.
SUNDAY NIGHT - Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries / moderate to strong southwest wind / alpine low temperature near -5 / freezing level 1300 m
MONDAY - Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries / moderate to strong southwest wind / alpine high temperature near -6 / freezing level 1500 m
TUESDAY - Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries / moderate southwest wind / alpine high temperature near -5 / freezing level 1200 m
WEDNESDAY - A mix of sun and cloud / light to moderate south wind / alpine high temperature near -6 / freezing level 1500 m
On Saturday, there were a few size 1-2 natural and human-triggered wind and storm slab avalanches reported. There were also several reports of explosives triggered size 2-3 storm slab avalanches reported near New Denver.
Since Tuesday, there have been daily reports of size 1-2 natural and human-triggered avalanches in many areas. There have also been reports of larger (size 2-3) explosives triggered avalanches on most days.
During the storm last weekend and into last Monday, there was a widespread natural and explosives-triggered avalanche cycle, with avalanches ranging from size 2-4.
There have been a few reports of sporadic persistent slab avalanches failing on the late January persistent weak layer in the past month, including one in the past week.
The region has received 60-100 cm of fresh snow in the past week. Deep wind deposits may be found in lee terrain features in the alpine and open treeline areas, and will likely remain reactive to human triggers. All of this new snow sits over weak, faceted snow from the early to mid-February cold snap.
There is now 80-120 cm of snow above the late January persistent weak layer which is composed of surface hoar in sheltered areas in the trees and/ or a crust on steep solar aspects. Very isolated activity on this layer has been observed recently.
