Storm slabs will build through the day Friday as 20-40 cm of new snow falls amid extreme wind. Storm slabs will be especially reactive where freshly wind loaded pockets sit over surface hoar or sun crust.
Forecast strong to extreme winds are expected to redistribute 30-50 cm of recent snow, forming deep slabs in lee features. Storm slabs will be especially reactive where freshly wind loaded pockets sit over surface hoar or sun crusts.
Thursday night: 10-30 cm new snow with lightest accumulations around Shames, heaviest near Kitimat. Extreme southwest wind. Freezing level 800 m.
Friday: 10-15 cm new snow. Strong southwest wind. Freezing level 700 m.
Saturday: Partly cloudy with isolated flurries. Moderate southwest to southeast wind. Freezing level 600 m.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Moderate southeast to southwest wind. Freezing level 500 m.
On Wednesday, fresh wind slab formation was observed, with reported activity limited to a size 2 natural and size 1 skier triggered, in addition to a cornice failure which did not trigger a slab.
Looking forward, a widespread storm slab avalanche cycle is expected with incoming snowfall.
20-40 cm of new snow is forecast to fall by the end of the day Friday. Strong winds are redistributing the new snow in alpine and treeline areas. This new snow, in addition to the 10 cm from Wednesday night, sits on a layer of surface hoar in sheltered areas, and a sun crust on solar aspects.
At treeline and below, a patchy layer of small surface hoar crystals may exist 60-80 cm deep in wind sheltered areas.
A thin layer of facets that formed during the January cold snap is now about 120-170 cm below the surface while an early season crust lingers at the base of the snowpack. These layers produced a few large natural avalanches in early February but have recently been unreactive.
