Its COLD.
If you choose to go out: think carefully about the consequences of an accident or equipment failure that could prevent you from moving to stay warm.
Bring extra clothing, extra equipment (like a sleeping bag and stove), choose extra low commitment terrain, and leave yourself extra time to get back to the car well before dark.
10 to 40 cm of snow over the last 72 hrs arrived with moderate to strong SW winds. Fresh, soft slabs have been reported as being reactive over the Dec 31 layer of surface hoar and sun crust. Variable winds may redistribute snow in some unusual locations over the next few days.
The base of the snowpack consists of weak facets and depth hoar. There has not been any avalanche activity on this layer for a while but the consequences of triggering it remain serious. Use caution in steep terrain or on planar slopes where failures in these basal facets are more likely to propagate.
No new avalanches observed or reported on Thursday.
Wednesday, Lake Louise teams reported small ,soft slabs, to size 1.5 failing with explosives (20 of 24 shots) on NE alpine features that were 10-20cm deep. Some of these remotely triggered slabs in adjacent features. They also remotely triggered a small slab on a steep treeline feature that failed on a sun crust. Meanwhile, at Sunshine, teams reported a few small soft wind slabs on lee features.
There is now 20-60 cm of snow forming a soft slab in some locations over the Dec 31 layer that is comprised of surface hoar in sheltered areas and a spotty sun crust on steep solar slopes at tree line and above.
The mid pack is supportive and contains two temperature or rain crusts (Dec. 22nd and Dec 5th) that reach as high as 2300m.
The base of the snowpack consists of weak facets and depth hoar.
Treeline snow depths range from 80 -130 cm.
The Arctic air fully asserts itself Thursday night: temperatures drop to near -40 C as skies clear and light to moderate winds continue out of the NE.
Expect gap winds in the main valleys such as the "Yoho Blow" to be in effect.
Friday, light to moderate winds will shift to the NW and temperatures reach a daytime high near -30 to -35C.
For more information, click Mountain Weather Forecast.
