The storm slab is still very sensitive to human triggering and the potential for this layer to step down to the deeper layers of the snowpack exists.
If the sun is shinning, be mindful of its power to create avalanches at this time of year.
Up to 40cm of storm snow has fallen and has created widespread storm slabs in alpine and tree-line areas. The storm snow will need several days to settle and bond. In the alpine, wind will have contributed to making the storm slabs even thicker.
Largely out of steep, extreme terrain on solar aspects.
The November basal facets (as well as midpack facets on crusts) remain a concern for triggering. The new load (snow above 2000m and rain below) will be a big test for this layer. Caution is advised until the snowpack can adjust to the new load.
Up to 35 cm thick storm slabs overlies previous windslabs on polar aspects and suncrusts on solar aspects, with rain saturated snow below 1800m. Solar slopes will have a new crust up to 1900m.
Several buried crusts can be found in the top 50-60 cm on solar aspects. The bottom of the snowpack remains facetted and weak.
While the natural avalanche activity has tapered slightly, the cycle is still ongoing. Storm slabs, loose wet, cornice fall and deep persistent slabs have all been observed and/or reported in the last 24h up to size 3. Heli bombing today produced results up to size 3.5, some avalanches initiating as soon as the bomb hit the slope.
Thursday: Partially cloudy skies through the day and as much as 10cm's of snow from Wednesday evening through to the end of the day Thursday. There is a small chance of a thunderstorm Thursday afternoon as well. Winds will be light and freezing levels will be between 1600-1800m, with the alpine high between +2 and -3.
Friday: Cloudy skies with convective activity through the day on Friday. A chance of thunderstorms is mentioned in. Freezing levels will be higher, between 1700-2000m and the winds will increase into the moderate range.
