Precipitation is expected to end Wednesday night, but it’s still unclear how much will fall as rain versus snow. If you're heading out, please share your post-storm observations on the MIN.
Recent stormy weather created widespread slabs, which are likely more reactive in lee features at upper elevations. Storm slabs may step down to deeper buried weak layers, creating larger avalanches.
Rain on snow may have saturated the snowpack, making wet avalanches possible on steep slopes. It’s still unclear how much has fallen as rain versus snow at treeline.
Several explosive and human-controlled avalanches were reported in the Whistler/ Blackcomb area on Tuesday. These slabs failed within the new storm snow and ranged from size 1 to 2, with one larger one stepping down to deeper buried layers like the Mid-November crust up to 1 m deep.
If you're heading out into the backcountry, please consider sharing your observations on the MIN.
30 to 45 cm of new snow can be found above 1800 m, which was redistributed by southerly winds in alpine and upper treeline terrain. This adds to previous storm and wind slabs that overlie older layers such as surface hoar, facets, and crusts.
A new breakable, melt-freeze crust, formed earlier this week, is found near the surface at mid-elevation. The mid-November hard crust currently sits 60 to 120 cm deep with facets above and below. Some recent storm slabs have recently stepped down to this layer.
The snowpack is moist at lower elevations, and its height rapidly diminishes below 1100 m.
Wednesday Night
Cloudy. 10 to 20 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2°C. Freezing level falling to 1500 m.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.
Friday
Cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow at treeline. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.
Saturday
Cloudy. 15 to 20 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
