Avalanche Forecast

Wednesday night: Clear breaks. Light variable winds.

Thursday: Cloudy with scattered flurries beginning late in the day and bringing 10-15 cm of new snow by morning. Light to moderate southwest winds increasing over the day. Alpine high temperatures around -6 with freezing levels to 500 metres.

Friday: Cloudy. Light southwest winds becoming southeast. Alpine high temperatures around -5 with freezing levels to 700 metres.

Saturday: Cloudy with scattered flurries bringing 5-10 cm of new snow, increasing overnight. Moderate to strong south winds. Alpine high temperatures around -4 with freezing levels to 800 metres.

No new avalanches have been reported in the region since the widespread natural avalanche cycle brought on by the storm at the end of last week.

A new melt-freeze crust has been observed on the surface of sun-exposed aspects. Below it, 50-100 cm of snow from the storm at the end of last week forms the region's upper snowpack above about 1200 metres.

Another crust that formed before the end of the storm can be found down only about 10 cm. It has been observed acting as a bed surface for small point releases.

Collectively, all this recent snow is forming an increasingly strong bond with the melt-freeze crust present on the previous surface. Below this interface the lower snowpack is well settled and strong.

Below 1200 metres, our recent snow amounts diminish rapidly with elevation and are capped by a melt-freeze crust.

• Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
• Be careful as you transition into wind affected terrain.