Regions
Northwest Inland.
Weather Forecast
Overnight Thursday: Snow amounts up to 5cm. As the front weakens during the day on Friday only few flurries are expected. Freezing levels near 1000m. Ridgetop winds will be light from the SW, with alpine temperatures near -3. Saturday/Sunday: A weakening front may bring 2-5cms later Saturday night. Clear, sunny skies and lower freezing levels expected on Sunday.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported.
Snowpack Summary
Recently, dribs and drabs of snow have fallen on a variety of surface forms. The bond of this new snow will need to be monitored as incremental loading may occur over the next week or so. Previous warm temperatures created moist surface snow on sunny aspects and on all aspects at low elevations. Where a re-freeze has occurred, a crust now exists. Surface hoar (5mm) has been forming on that crust at treeline and below. Last week's storm snow appears to be settling and bonding well. A facet layer which formed in mid-January has gained strength. It showed hard, resistant planar results in a compression test at treeline in the Hankin area on Sunday.
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.