Stay clear of wind loaded lee features and watch for hidden early season hazards. Don't get surprised, we have a long season ahead.
We appreciate your observations, please report on the MIN network if you have the opportunity
Up to 40cm of new snow with moderate winds at ridge top has produced windslabs in the immediate lee at ridge tops and down into tree line.
Pockets of previous wind deposited snow overlies the Nov 4 rain crust and continues to be reactive to skier traffic and large loads such as explosives.
Cool temps, winds and recent snowfall promoting loose dry avalanches in steep terrain.
Tonight: Accumulation: 4 cm. Alpine temperature: Low -10 C. Ridge wind southwest: 15 km/h gusting to 50 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.
Saturday: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Precip: Trace. Alp temp: High -9 C. Ridge wind SW: 15-35 km/h.
Sunday: Precip: Nil. Alp temp: Low -14 C, High -9 C. wind SW: 10 km/h.
Up to 40cm of new low density snow in the past 48 hours.The snowpack is ~100cm at treeline. The Nov. 4th rain crust up to 2600m depending on location, and is up to 55cm deep. Continued wind slab development on N and W aspects ridgetop down into treeline. Old wind slabs buried in exposed terrain that sit on the Nov 4th crust continue to be reactive
Several natural wind slab avalanches in the alpine on north aspects have been observed in the Jasper and Bald hills region over the past 24 hours. No new avalanches observed in the Icefields region today. Observations were limited to treeline and below.
