Storm slabs may be reactive to human triggering, especially in wind loaded areas at upper elevations. Watch for signs of instability such as whumphing, cracking and recent avalanches.
Storm slabs will likely be building throughout the day and may become increasingly reactive with ongoing strong winds and fresh snow accumulating.
TUESDAY NIGHT - Cloudy with clear periods / southwest wind, 20-40 km/h / alpine low temperature near -8
WEDNESDAY - Flurries, 10-15 cm / southwest wind, 40-60 km/h / alpine high temperature near -6 / freezing level 1000 m
THURSDAY - Flurries, 5-10 cm / southwest wind, 30-50 km/h / alpine high temperature near -5 / freezing level 1300 m
FRIDAY - Snow 15-20 cm / southwest wind, 50-80 km/h / alpine high temperature near -1 / freezing level 1500 m
Avalanche activity is expected to increase on Wednesday with fresh snow and wind forming storm slabs throughout the day.
On Monday there were reports of a few human triggered wind slab avalanches up to size 1.5 on north aspects at treeline, and several natural and explosives triggered avalanches up to size 3 on primarily north and east aspects in the alpine and at treeline.
There was a notable avalanche reported in the northern Monashees on Saturday. It was a natural size 4 persistent slab avalanche. It was triggered by a wind slab avalanche that stepped down to a deeper layer.
There was also a notable size 3 persistent slab avalanche in the northern Selkirks on Saturday that was triggered by explosives on a southwest aspect in the alpine.
Wednesday is set to bring 10-15 cm of new snow with moderate to strong southwest winds. Fresh storm slabs will likely be forming throughout the day.
Recent rain at lower elevations means that the new snow may fall on either a melt-freeze crust, or wet snow below about 1500 m.
There is a weak layer of surface hoar that is now buried 90 to 170 cm. This layer is suspected to have produced sporadic recent large avalanches in the region.
