New snow combined with strong winds will keep avalanche danger elevated.
Seek out sheltered terrain where triggering is less likely, and dial back if you see signs of instability.
Recent storm snow coupled with moderate to strong winds continue to keep storm slabs primed for human triggering. Recent avalanche activity suggest the new snow needs time to settle and bond to previous surfaces.
Natural avalanches and touchy human triggered activity were reported in the region on Friday. Avalanche were size 1 to 1.5, and 15 to 20 cm deep, with wide propagation.
With recent storm snow yesterday, storm slabs could be up to 25 cm deep.
This MIN report from the Whistler area on Wednesday shows skiers easily triggering a touchy storm slab about 10 - 15 cm deep.
New storm snow and strong winds will likely continue to produce human-triggered avalanches.
Roughly 20 to 25 cm of new snow is wind affected and overlies various surfaces, including a thin temperature crust below 2000 m.
Throughout the December storms, strong south wind has left behind wind slabs and loaded pockets in lee features, exposed rock or crust in open terrain. In sheltered areas the storm snow remains quite unconsolidated.
Up to 140 cm of snow settling on crusty wet snow forming the basal snowpack in most areas. Above 2200 m, this crust is absent and an old crust complex and faceted snow from November is found at the base of the snowpack instead.
Friday Night
Mostly clear skies. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.
Saturday
Sunny. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 1 cm of snow. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 3 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
