Updated 6:15 am: Watch for reactive storm slabs.
30 cm may fall west of Terrace in the Skeena River corridor. If storm totals are more than 20 cm, expect avalanche hazard to also be increased.
New snow may form reactive storm slabs today. Slabs will likely be deeper and more reactive in wind-affected terrain, and in areas with greater snowfall amounts.
Looking forward, new snow is likely to form fresh slabs that are reactive to human-triggering. Watch for deeper, touchier deposits in wind-affected terrain, and in areas that have greater snowfall amounts.
Several size 1 (small) wind slab avalanches were triggered by riders in steep, wind-loaded, convex terrain features in the alpine the previous few days.
About 20 cm of snow will be redistributed by southwest winds on Saturday. West of Terrace storm totals may be greater.
This falls on firm surfaces from wind affect in wind-affected areas, or 10 to 30 cm of settled dry snow in sheltered areas. Below this, there is a thick and hard melt-freeze crust extending up to approximately 1700 m. The crust was at the snow surface at lower elevations.
The middle of the snowpack may contain old, weak faceted layers and hard crusts, which do not currently present a concern.
Friday Night
Cloudy with 15 cm of snow throughout the region. Up to 30 cm of snow may fall west of Terrace in the Skeena River corridor. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Saturday
Cloudy with another 3 to 5 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Sunday
Cloudy with 2 to 5 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Monday
Cloudy with 2 cm of snow. 40 to 60 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
