Increased cloud cover and light snowfall will decrease the possibility of loose/wet avalanches starting Monday.
Weather Forecast
Increased cloudiness and light snowfall amounts are expected Mon through Weds. Accumulations are not expected to exceed 13cm in the Sunshine Village area and about the same through out the region. Wind will remain light to moderate from the South. Check our weather stations for current conditions.
Snowpack Summary
A well settled snowpack with few weaknesses exists throughout the region. There is moist surface snow/sun crust on steep solar aspects. Isolated wind slabs exist on leeward slopes in the alpine. Below 2000m, the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar and facets remains visible down 35-70 cm but is currently dormant. Thin areas are faceting out and weakening.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous loose wet snow avalanches up to size 2 have been observed on steep rocky terrain with the sun affect and warm alpine temperatures. Forecasters ski cut a small windslab 15m wide, 10cm deep 30m long at 2450m in the alpine (size 0.5). Several recent small cornice failures have also been observed.
Confidence
Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.