Up to 40 cm of snow overlies a thick hard crust and any solar input increases the likelihood of an avalanche occurring.
Seek simple terrain and avoid steep and wind loaded leeward slopes.
Recent snow may slide easily on a hard, slick, buried crust. Avalanches are expected be larger and more likely on west through north facing (leeward) slopes.
Once the sun comes out , expect wet loose avalanches to begin. Even a small wet loose can be harmful when combined with a terrain trap such as a cliff or ditch.
On Friday a very large slab avalanche was rider triggered in the 10 km riding area near the Coquhalla summit. This avalanche was on a leeward aspect, that was heavily wind loaded and likely failed on a melt freeze crust formed earlier in March.
If you are heading into the backcountry, consider sharing your observations and posting a MIN.
30-50 cm of recent snow is settling above a widespread thick. hard and smooth crust that exists everywhere except the highest alpine terrain. Expect this snow to rapidly become moist and unconsolidated when the sun comes out.
Extreme southwest wind on Tuesday gradually eased to strong and then moderate for Thursday, redistributing the storm snow into leeward terrain, expect slab depths to be deeper, exceeding 2 meters in some terrain features.
Older crust layers, now buried 150 to 250 cm deep, are no longer a concern, and the lower snowpack is generally strong and bonded.
Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Monday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
