The snowpack is generally thin and weak throughout the region with western areas (deeper) giving more supportive travel conditions than eastern regions (shallower). Lots of bushes still limiting travel below treeline in Yoho and Kootenay. The deep persistent problem remains a real concern in the snowpack. Approach avalanche terrain cautiously.
The lower snowpack is comprised of weak facets and depth hoar with the upper snowpack forming a 40 to 90cm thick slab above. This weak basal layer is uniform across most of the forecasting region and has been responsible for most of the avalanche activity to date this season.
No new avalanches were reported by the ski area control teams today, but a fresh size 2.5 deep persistent slab was observed in one of the Mt. Field avalanche paths facing the highway. The debris looked almost wet.
3-7 cm of fresh snow by Monday morning gave a nice little refresh to the surface with no wind effect. The Dec 17 layer is down 25-50 cm and the Nov 16 deep persistent layer is 40-90 cm. Both of these layers continue to produce sudden failures in snowpack tests. In deeper snowpack areas like Little Yoho these two layers are deeper and more spread apart in the snowpack.
A weak surface ridge of high pressure will keep skies partly cloudy across the region on Tuesday, with alpine temperatures reaching -2 with light winds and no measurable snow. Temperatures cool through mid-week, but otherwise, the weather will remain stable.
