There are buried weak layers that continue to produce large avalanches.
Conservative terrain selection is the best way to manage uncertainty.
Multiple weak layers present roughly 1 - 2 m deep are adjusting to a new snow load and continue to produce surprising avalanches. Avalanches failing on these layers have been large and destructive.
Recent snow settling on mid-storm interfaces and a deeper crust may still be triggerable on steep slopes. Local operators have also found wind slab formation well into below treeline on all aspects as a result of strong winds this week.
Large (size 2 to 3) persistent slab avalanches continued on Friday. With remote triggers still occurring, up to 250 m away.
There were also many large storm slabs triggered with explosives north of Trout Lake.
Storm snow since March 7 totals 60 to 100 cm around Revelstoke and 30 to 50 cm farther south. It has been redistributed by southwest winds in exposed higher elevation terrain and sits on old wind-affected surfaces at treeline and above or on a crust, which extends up to 1900 m near Highway 1, closer to 2200 m in the south.
Three problem layers of surface hoar, facets and/or crust formed in January and February are in the mid-snowpack, 1 to 2 m deep. They produced numerous destructive avalanches during the weekend warmup and sporadic releases in the days since, making them difficult to rule out, even as factors like a bridging crust at lower elevations have reduced the likelihood of triggering.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear skies. 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.
Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 cm of snow. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. 15 to 35 cm of snow. 30 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level rising to 2000 m through the day.
Tuesday
Cloudy. 15 to 30 mm of rain at treeline. 60 to 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
