Its ugly out there, heavy rain soaked snow with large destructive avalanches running full path and breaking trees.
Now is a great time to stay out of the backcountry.
Two persistent weak layers are buried down ~ 180 and 210 cm. These layers are of great concern with the huge load added to the snowpack this week. Use caution in thin snowpack areas that are not typically skied, and limit exposure to open paths that have not recently produced large avalanches.
Heavy snowfall with warm temps and strong winds will create a widespread storm slab problem. High freezing levels and rain on snow will increase the likelihood and size of this avalanche problem.
Heavy rain has soaked and destabilized the upper snowpack above a crust that was buried March 8th. Expect this heavy wet snow to be easily triggered and have surprising destructive potential. Loose wet avalanches will also occur where triggered by snowballs falling from trees or rocks.
Both natural and artificially triggered avalanches have been numerous this week up to size 3. On Monday night and again Wednesday morning avalanche control produced avalanches up to size 3.5 throughout the highway corridor.
Neighbouring operations are still reporting sporadic, persistent slab natural avalanche activity up to size 3.
60-100cms of new snow (elevation dependent; more up high, less down low) has been redistributed by strong winds in the alpine. At tree line and below heavy rain has soaked and destabilized the upper snowpack. At lower elevations this rain has soaked down to the March 8 crust.
The Feb 9 and Jan 26 surface hoar (SH) layers are now buried 150-210 cm deep. With the heavy new load of snow and rain these layers could become reactive again.
The stormy onslaught continues with heavy snow in the alpine and heavy rain tree line and below with strong winds.
Tonight Snow mixed with rain 26cm. Alpine low -1°C. Winds SW 30-60km/h. Freezing level (FZL) 2000m.
Thurs Snow 20cm. Alpine high 0°C. Wind SW 30-60km/h. FZL 2000m.
Fri Snow 20cm. Alpine high -1°C. Wind SW 25-60km/h. FZL 1900m.
Sat Flurries 5cm. Alpine high -5°C. Wind W 15 gusting 50km/h. FZL 1400m.
