South Coast Inland

Tricky conditions exist with buried weak layers. Expect wind slabs to form, adding load to a weak snowpack

Stick to conservative terrain and avoid large features at treeline and above

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
• If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Wind slabs continued to show reactivity to human triggers on Friday with up to size 1.5 reported.

Activity is expected to increase on Sunday as snow and wind develop fresh slabs over weak snow surfaces.

By Sunday evening, up to 20 cm of new snow is expected. This new snow will fall over a crust on south facing slopes, or over settling snow that overlies previous weak surfaces of crusts, facets or wind affect.

Roughly 50-60 cm of snow now sits above a widespread crust from late January. Weak grains like facets or more isolated surface hoar may be found above this crust. This problematic layering remains a concern with recent avalanche activity and snowpack tests showing reactivity. As minimal snowfall is forecast this layer is not expected to produce natural avalanches, but human triggering remains very possible.

Saturday Night

Cloudy with up to 5 cm of new snow expected. 30-40 km/h southwest winds. Freezing levels remain around 1500 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with 5-15 cm of new snow. 40-60 km/h southwest winds. Treeline temperature -3 °C with freezing levels steady around 1500 m.

Monday

Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries. 20-30 km/h southwest winds. Treeline temperatures drop to -12 °C with freezing levels at valley bottom.

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy with possible sunny breaks. No snow is expected. 20-30 km/h southwest winds. Treeline temperatures around -12 °C with freezing levels at valley bottom.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.