South Rockies

Assess surface conditions before committing to steep terrain.

If the snow feels "slabby" wind slab avalanches are possible, if it feels unconsolidated dry loose avalanches are possible.

High

• We have a good understanding of the snowpack structure and confidence in the weather forecast.

Over the past 3 days several dry loose avalanches up to size 2 were reported in steep, north facing terrain. These avalanches were triggered naturally and by skiers.

One natural cornice fall was also observed, it didn’t trigger a slab on the slope below.

By Friday afternoon 5 to 10 cm of snow could overlie the late January surface hoar/crust layer. This new snow will be accompanied by strong southwest wind, meaning that the crust will likely remain on the surface on southerly aspects and deeper deposits will be found on north and east aspects. The surface hoar is largest on sheltered treeline and below treeline features.

Two notable buried layers persist, but are not currently a concern:

• A layer of surface hoar or a sun crust from early January is buried 30 to 60 cm deep.

• A crust with facets can be found near the base of the snowpack (persisting in shallow areas).

Thursday Night
Cloudy. 1 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Friday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Saturday
Mix of sun and clouds. 2 cm of snow. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Wind slabs are isolated, but may remain reactive.
• Loose avalanches may start small, but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
• Make observations and continually assess conditions as you travel.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.