Northwest Coastal

Now that the storm is over, signs of avalanche danger may be less obvious. Touchy wind slabs are lingering. If it's sunny, avoid steep slopes that are getting sun-baked.

Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Thursday

A brief clearing is expected on Tuesday, before a Pacific frontal system pushes ashore late that day. Generally light precipitation is expected on Wednesday and Thursday, with the freezing level around 1000 m and winds moderate to strong from the S to SW.

Explosives control on Sunday triggered several very large avalanches near Stewart, failing at ground or on a deeply buried crust. Last week there was a widespread natural avalanche cycle. No naturally triggered avalanches were reported on Sunday.

Up to 1 m of recent storm snow has been redistributed by strong and variable winds, creating widespread wind slabs. Operators got moderate snowpack test results on storm interfaces on Sunday. Older buried surfaces include wind slabs, hard crusts, surface hoar, and/or surface facets. The mid-pack is generally well-settled and strong. At the base of the snowpack, weak facets may be found, particularly on shallow alpine slopes in the north of the region. Cornices are large and potentially fragile. Below treeline, the snow appears to be in a spring melt-freeze cycle.