The best riding and lowest avalanche danger will be in low-angle meadows and clearings that are out of the wind. Avoid being on or under any steep snowy slopes that are exposed to the wind.
New snow and strong winds are creating dense slabs that will likely avalanche on their own or under the weight of a human. Avalanches could occur well below ridges and in cross-loaded gullies and run into flat terrain below.
Transport truck sized cornices were looming over slopes on Thursday, with falling chunks triggering avalanches on the slopes below. That problem is only likely to get worse with the recent snow and strong wind.
On Thursday in the Tablelands in Gros Morne National Park, our field team saw evidence of several large (size 2) wind slab avalanches triggered by cornices falling on the slope below.
See their MIN (Mountain Information Network) post for photos and more information, as well as their Instagram post for a video of one.
Looking forward to Sunday, we expect that natural and human triggered avalanches will be likely on any steep slopes, especially those that are wind-loaded.
In sheltered areas 70-110 cm of snow has likely piled up between Friday morning and Sunday evening, with reports of drifts up to 200 cm. Strong to extreme winds continue overnight. The wind will still be strong enough on Saturday to keep building dangerous slabs on leeward (east and southeast) slopes in the hills.
The mid and lower snowpack are generally dense and strong.
The general trend this season has been sustained west and northwest wind, so expect slopes facing that prevailing wind to have thin or no snow cover. The snowpack in loaded bowls and gullies on south and east facing slopes may be 300 to 500 cm deep.
We expect conditions to change rapidly again as another storm arrives Tuesday night or Wednesday.
Saturday Night
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 60 to 70 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with 2 to 4 cm of snow. Ridgetop winds easing to 30 to 50 km/h from the west. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Monday
Mostly cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 70 to 90 km/h east ridgetop wind, switching to southwest 30 to 40 km/h in the late afternoon/evening. Freezing level rising to 250-500 m. Treeline high -2 °C.
Tuesday
Cloudy with up to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind, switching to north and increasing as the storm arrives. There is the potential for a lot more snow/rain and wind depending on when the next storm arrives. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
