A buried persistent weak layer is capable of producing large distructive avalanches.
Wind and light flurries will continue to redistribute loose snow. Watch for fresh slabs in lee features and older, stubborn slabs on a variety of aspects.
Persistent weak layers of crusts/facets in the top 200 cm are possible to trigger. This is a low-probability, high-consequence problem. Signs of instability will not be obvious. The only defence is smaller, low-consequence terrain.
Over the last week, both natural wind and persistent slab avalanches were reported, some cornice-triggered.
Observations in this region are limited, and there's uncertainty about buried weak layers in the upper/mid snowpack. In the neighbouring region, a fatal avalanche accident occurred north of Terrace on March 22. Available details can be found here.
Submit to the MIN and keep your terrain choices conservative.
Outflow winds transitioning southerly have left wind slabs and wind-affected surfaces on a variety of aspects. Up to 30 cm of facetting and settled snow is found in sheltered areas. This covers a variety of older snow, including small surface hoar, facets, crusts, and wind-scoured snow.
A few persistent weak layers of crust/facets or surface hoar are buried between 100 to 200 cm deep. We have limited information on the distribution and reactivity of these layers.
Cornices are large, some have recently failed naturally.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy. 1 to 3 cm of snow. 10 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 4 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
Sunday
Mostly sunny. 1 to 3 cm of snow. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
Monday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
