Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Saturday

Snow during the day on Friday is expected to accumulate to about 15-20 cm by Saturday morning. The overnight winds should build to about 50km/hr from the southwest and then drop back down to about 20 km/hr during the day on Saturday when the snow should increase; an additional 20-30 cm is possible by early afternoon. The freezing level is expected to rise briefly up to about 1000 metres on Saturday. The next pulse of snow and wind should move across the region on Saturday evening. The wind is expected to build back up to a gusty 50 km/hr from the southwest. It looks like snow will continue on Sunday in the form of flurries and moderate westerly winds. Monday should be unsettled with continued flurries and westerly winds. The freezing level should stay around 700 metres on Sunday and Monday.

There have been a couple of natural cornice falls and natural ice falls releasing slabs up to size 3.0. Cornices and Ice falling onto slopes below is a very large trigger. The interesting comment from this region is, that some of these very large triggers did not release slabs on the slopes below. Fast moving sluffs have also been reported from this region.

New storm snow is starting to accumulate above the cold dry surface. If this new storm warms up a bit, expect a storm slab to consolidate above this cold relatively weak layer. Watch for new windslabs developing due to forecast strong southwest winds. Some surface facetting during the recent cold spell. Strong temperature gradient in the top 30 cm. Stiff windslabs have developed in the alpine and at treeline. Some areas reporting a crust that is now buried by about 30 cm of cold dry light snow. Strong well settled mid-pack.