Small amounts of snow over the last few days has rapidly improved the ski quality once again. Excellent ski quality is found most locations. Notice a slight bump in alpine & below treeline danger rating.
Stiff upper snowpack and/or a drummy feeling should put you on guard for wind slabs. Be on alert as you transition into Treeline features.
New storm snow is sitting on a short term problematic layer. (Graupel). This has made the storm snow more reactive to triggering. Caution on steeper unsupported terrain and consider what you are connected to in treeline and below treeline.
Thin areas are locations where it is more likely to trigger this weakness.
Forecasting teams skiing in below treeline elevations today were easily ski cutting small storm slabs on steeper unsupported rolls, On the drive to and from, several storm slabs at treeline and below elevations were also observed.
Another 15cm overnight brings the 48hr total close to 30cm. The end of the storm on Sunday ended with graupel overlying a lot of the region. As the next storm on Sunday night deposited another 15cm this created a reactive storm slab. Forecasters were easily able to ski cut small storm slabs on steeper features at below treeline elevations. Observations from the road in higher Treeline and alpine terrain noted several fresh storm/wind slabs. Below this is a spotty layer of surface hoar up to 2200m which also adds to the sensitivity of the storm slab. Wind slabs are widespread in the Alpine and open areas at Treeline, averaging 30 to 70cm thick. This surface wind slab is producing a moderate shear on decomposed crystals at Treeline locations in recent days. If you notice a drummy feel to the snowpack, consider the terrain you are connected to, both under your feet and above you. Stiff wind slabs could travel across a feature and create a large avalanche. The November crust still lingers at the base of the snowpack down 170cm or so and is still a concern for triggering from thinner snowpack areas.
Tuesday: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries.
5cm currently forecasted with a day time high of -12.
Winds continue to blow out of the SouthWest at 40-50km/h
https://hpfx.collab.science.gc.ca/~fsg006/productviewer/ab/table/AB_Rockies_Forecast.html
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
