Use extra caution on steep slopes near ridgecrest where fresh wind slabs are more likely to be found. Increase your exposure to avalanche terrain gradually as you gather information moving throughout the terrain.
Watch for wind slabs on isolated features at higher elevations. Strong northwest winds may transport new snow and preserved snow into small pockets in lees.
On Wednesday, several natural wet loose avalanches were reported to size 1.5 on steep solar aspects.
On Tuesday, a size 1 skier remote wind slab avalanche was reported in the Whistler area at 1650 m on a north aspect. The bed surface of the avalanche was a crust down 30 cm. Check out the great MIN report for details.
Please continue to share any observations or photos on the Mountain Information Network.
A melt-freeze crust covers 20-40 cm of settling snow on solar slopes in the alpine. On sheltered polar slopes in the alpine, snow surface is preserved.
A thick crust from mid-January is 40-70 cm found deep. Weak layers exist within the mid and lower snowpack but the thick crusts sitting above them make triggering avalanches on these layers unlikely.
Thursday Night
Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries, 2-5 mm. Northwesterly ridgetop winds 40-60 km/h. 1500m temperature low of -3C. Freezing level of 800 m.
Friday
Mainly sunny. Northwesterly ridgetop winds 20 km/h. 1500 m temperature high of -1 °C. Freezing levels 1400 m.
Saturday
Sunny with cloudy periods. Northeasterly ridgetop winds increase from 20 km/h to 60 km/h throught the day. 1500 m temperature high of -7°C. Freezing levels at valley bottom.
Sunday
Sunny. Moderate northeasterly winds occasionally gusting to 40 km/h. 1500m temperature high -12C. Freezing levels valley bottom.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
