Northern parts of the Purcell region received higher snowfall amounts than the south. Expect to find more reactive deposits in areas with larger storm snow totals (over 15 cm) and where new snow is impacted by wind.
New snow deposited 10-25 cm snow around the region (with larger numbers towards the north). Expect to find more reactive deposits of new snow in areas with higher snowfall accumulation and where wind redistributes new snow.
Tuesday night: Snow and flurries, 3-8 cm overnight. Alpine temperature -5 C, southwest wind, 30-55 km/hr.
Wednesday: Cloudy with isolated flurries, up to 5 cm. Alpine temperature -6 C, southwest wind 30-45 km/hr.
Thursday: Mix of sun and cloud and isolated flurries, trace accumulation. Alpine temperature -11 C, west wind 10-25 km/hr.
Friday: Periods of snow, 5-15 cm. Alpine temperature -7 C, southwest wind 20-40 km/h.
Several small, loose natural avalanches were observed from steep NW aspects in the alpine and treeline in the Kicking Horse area on Tuesday.
10-20 cm of new snow accumulated in the north of the region by the end of Tuesday with only trace amounts around Panorama and south. Moderate westerly wind have redistributed new snow into lee features and cross-loaded terrain. The new snow has covered surface hoar in sheltered areas and may not bond well with the old surface.
Prior to the new snow, cold temperature begun faceting the upper snowpack, 15-40 cm of wind-affected snow. This hard snow sits over a crust on solar aspects in the alpine and a surface hoar/crust combination around treeline.
Further down, several early season crusts are found in a highly variable snowpack across the region. Snowpack depth ranges from 10-110 cm, expect to find weak facets (sugary, cohesion-less snow) in thin, shallow areas and around rocks.
