Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
Avalanche activity is possible on steep solar aspects if the sun peeks out.
Confidence
Moderate - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
FRIDAY: Flurries. Light southerly winds. Freezing level near 1500 m.SATURDAY: Moderate to locally heavy snow. Light to moderate south-westerly winds. Freezing level near 1600 m.SUNDAY: Flurries. Moderate westerly winds. Freezing level near 1700 m.
Avalanche Summary
Not much was reported on Wednesday, apart from a small skier-triggered storm slab. A few loose moist size 1 avalanches were also observed in steep sunny terrain.A skier-triggered size 2 storm slab was reported on a south-west aspect at treeline on Tuesday.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 40 cm settled snow from last weekend overlies variable surfaces including a hard crust which exists on all aspects below 1900 m, and on sunny aspects higher up. On higher, shady aspects, the new snow may sit on some old wind slabs or a mix of large surface hoar and surface facets. Some professionals are still monitoring a deeper crust/surface hoar weak layer about 1 m down. Deeper weak layers are generally considered dormant.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.