Strong to extreme southwest winds are likely forming fresh and reactive wind slabs. Seek out sheltered, low-angle slopes and watch for reactive pockets around steep rolls and ridge features.
Wind slabs may continue to be reactive to human triggers at upper elevations. Previous winds have been strong to extreme from a variety of directions, so wind slabs could exist on all aspects.
Triggering large avalanches on weaknesses in the lower snowpack remains a possibility. In some areas the concern is weak snow around crusts 70-140 cm deep, while in others it is weak snow near the bottom of the snowpack. Human triggering of these layers are most likely in steep, rocky slopes with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT - Cloudy with clear periods and isolated flurries / southwest wind, 20-30 km/h / alpine low temperature near -10
THURSDAY - Mainly cloudy with a few flurries / southeast wind, 60-80 km/h / alpine high temperature near -3
FRIDAY - Cloudy with flurries, 3-5 cm / southwest wind, 50-70 km/h / alpine high temperature near -4
SATURDAY - Cloudy with flurries, 3-5 cm / southwest wind, 30-60 km/h / alpine high temperature near -5
Wind slabs may continue be reactive to human triggers on Thursday, especially at upper elevations.
There was a report of a natural avalanche cycle up to size 2 from wind loaded terrain in the south of the region on Tuesday.
There were a few explosives triggered size 2 avalanches reported near the southern boundary of the region on Sunday.
On Saturday, explosive control work near Ningunsaw (just outside the region) produced several wind slabs to size 2.5 and one size 3 deep persistent slab failing on weak facets near the base of the snowpack. Another reminder of the "low probability; high consequence" scenario that persistent slab problems often create.
A few cm of recent fresh snow is likely sitting on widespread wind slabs in open terrain in the alpine and at treeline. These wind slabs may sit on a weak layer of surface hoar that was recently buried at treeline and below treeline.
In the south of the region, another weak layer of surface hoar that was buried around the New Year has been reported down 50-70 cm in sheltered areas.
The lower snowpack has two crusts with potentially weak, faceted snow around them. Reports from the Smithers area suggest the upper crust is 70-140 cm below the surface and has shown signs of being possible to trigger from shallow areas. The deeper crust is near the bottom of the snowpack, and is most likely to trigger from steep, rocky slopes, with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack.
