Heavy and steady precipitation with strong winds will continue to develop significant storm slabs, especially in lee areas in the alpine and at treeline. It is a good day to stay away from avalanche terrain.
Storm slabs will continue to develop throughout the day, especially in lee areas in the alpine and at treeline. It is almost certain that this new snow will not bond very well to the variety of previous surfaces and will produce a natural avalanche cycle. It is a good day to stay away from avalanche terrain.
A series of weather systems are set to hit BC in the next few days bringing precipitations, mild air and strong mountaintop winds.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Snow, 15-25 cm, 40-60 km/h southwesterly wind, treeline low temperature 0 C, freezing level at 1200 m.
MONDAY: Snow turning to rain, 15-30 mm, 50-70 km/h southwesterly wind, treeline high temperature +4 C, freezing level at 2000 m.
TUESDAY: Snow mixed with rain, 15-30 cm, 50-70 km/h southwesterly wind, treeline high temperature 0 C, freezing level at 1300 m.
WEDNESDAY: Snow mixed with rain, 15-25 cm, 40-60 km/h southwesterly wind, treeline high temperature -1 C, freezing level at 1100 m.
Several natural and triggered storm slab avalanches up to size 1.5 were reported on Sunday.
About 40 to 60 cm of storm snow is covering a variety of surfaces including the widespread mid-February crust, wind affected snow and pockets of wind slab in exposed high elevation terrain, a suncrust on solar aspects, low density facetted snow on northerly slopes and spotty surface hoar in very sheltered lower elevations. It is unknow how this new snow will bond to the previous surfaces but we are expecting it will not bond very well.
The prominent late-January crust is now down 20-60 cm and is well bonded to the surrounding snow. The mid and lower snowpack is considered well settled and strong. Shallow snow cover at low elevations leaves many hazards like stumps and creeks exposed at or just below the snow surface.
