Watch for new wind slabs perched in steep, leeward terrain features in exposed areas. Mellower sheltered slopes likely offer better skiing and riding quality.
New wind slabs exist in leeward terrain features at upper elevations. Continuing light flurries and intermittently elevated winds should keep this problem reactive (but small) in the coming days.
Sunday: Cloudy with continuing scattered flurries bringing up to 5 cm of new snow. Moderate to strong southwest winds.
Monday: Cloudy with continuing scattered flurries bringing about 5 cm of new snow, increasing a bit overnight. Light southwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -5.
Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light southwest winds increasing over the day and becoming strong in the alpine overnight. Alpine high temperatures around -4.
Wednesday: Cloudy with light flurries and less than 5 cm of new snow. Moderate to strong southwest winds becoming light over the day. Alpine high temperatures around -5
A bit more snow than was forecast was observed producing small natural dry loose releases from steep alpine terrain in the Fernie area on Saturday. Additional light flurries and increased winds formed small but reactive wind slabs in exposed terrain on Sunday.
A large (size 2) glide slab occurred overnight and was observed on Friday morning on a lower elevation slope on Mt. Fernie. It may have been coaxed into action by overnight rainfall. This serves as a great reminder to avoid slopes with glide cracks on them at all times. They are inherently unstable and can release at any time.
Up to 15 cm of new snow accumulated over wind affected surfaces at higher elevations over Friday night and Saturday and over a mix of refrozen or still wet snow at treeline and lower. Forecast light flurries will add a bit more dry snow to this mix at all but low elevations in the coming days. Small new wind slabs have likely formed (or will form) in leeward terrain features at exposed elevations as a result. The snowpack is otherwise well settled and strong.
