New snow and wind has refreshed the ski quality but also made for reactive wind slabs in immediate lee terrain.
15-40 cm of new snow with strong SW winds have formed reactive windslabs in alpine and treeline lee features. The slabs are generally soft and predictable but extend further downslope than sometimes due to the strong gusty winds.
A facet/ surface hoar / crust interface from late January is buried 100–180 cm deep. We saw an extensive natural cycle on this layer last week and continue to see hard, sudden test results in some areas. This layer needs time to adjust to the new load and will produce large avalanches if triggered.
15 - 40 cm of new snow will sluff easily in steep alpine and treeline terrain. Below treeline, this new snow sits on hard rain crusts and may run faster and further than it otherwise would.
Lake Louise and Sunshine ski hill reported soft slabs in immediate alpine and treeline lees up to 60 cm deep from the overnight snow. These were reactive with every shot at Sunshine but were failing predictably and not propagating too far. Some loose dry avalanches were also observed and these ran fast and far on lower elevation crusts.
15 - 40 cm of new snow fell overnight Tuesday with strong SW winds building fresh slabs at ridgetop. This fell on the Mar 20th rain crust which exists below ~2300m, with additional sun crusts on solar aspects. The January 24th facet layer is buried 100–180 cm deep at tree-line and in the alpine, with some tests still producing hard, sudden results.
Another system is approaching on Thursday that should bring up to 10 cm with moderate westerly winds and below zero termperatures. Friday and Saturday we will see drier conditions as a ridge builds. Expect mostly clear skies, moderate to strong SW winds at ridgetop and freezing levels rising to ~ 1500m midday.
