Lots of snow, strong to extreme wind and warm temperatures through Tuesday and Wednesday are ingredients for HIGH avalanche danger. It's a good time to minimize your exposure to avalanche terrain through the next few days.
Expect storm slabs to become increasingly reactive as new snow accumulates through the day Tuesday and Wednesday. Deepest deposits will be in the lee of terrain features with the wind blowing strong to extreme from the southwest. Lower elevations may see loose wet avalanches where rain is possible.
MONDAY Night: Flurries, accumulation 5-10 cm / Strong south southwest wind / Alpine temperature around -7 C.
TUESDAY: Snow or possible rain, accumulation 15-25 cm / Strong to extreme southwest wind / Alpine temperature around 0 C / Freezing level 1500 m.
WEDNESDAY: Snow, accumulation 20-30 cm / Strong to extreme southwest wind / Alpine temperature around 0 C / Freezing level 1500 m.
THURSDAY: Mainly cloudy with sunny breaks and isolated flurries / Moderate to strong southwest wind / Alpine temperature around -3 C / Freezing level 900 m.
No new avalanches reported in the past few days. Expect to see avalanche activity increase as the region receives a substantial amount of snow, strong to extreme winds and warm temperatures.
The winter snowpack is growing and settling. Winds are moving it around which is helping fill in creeks and gullies at the expense of windward slopes and terrain bulges being stripped. Anywhere from zero to 150 cm. On Monday, our Fraser weather station in the trees was showing 99 cm. Winds are expected to increase dramatically in the coming days so expect the surface snow and any new snow to be re-distributed into the lee of terrain features.
