High avalanche danger is expected to continue for another day due to new storm slabs, high freezing levels, and above freezing air trapped in the alpine.
Summary
Confidence
Poor - Freezing levels are uncertain
Weather Forecast
Expect a lot of variability in this region due to the warm air from the West-Northwest meeting the cold arctic air from the Rockies. The West and South should be very warm with moderate Westerly winds, and the North and East should stay cooler with light Northeast winds. Freezing levels will vary on Wednesday as the storm ends and warm air tries to push East. Mostly clear on Thursday with cooler (alpine temperatures around -10) and drier conditions. Friday mostly clear with light winds and no precipitation.
Avalanche Summary
Natural and skier triggered avalanches up to size 2.0 releasing down 30-50 cm in the new storm slab.
Snowpack Summary
There is a great deal of variability across the region. The West and South have received up to 60 cm of storm snow in the past 48 hours, quickly followed by high freezing levels and warm air up into the alpine. The North and East of the region have had 20-30 cm of cold dry new snow over the past 48 hours with light Northeast winds. This new slab may be sitting on a patchy layer of surface hoar that was buried near the end of December. Deeper in the snowpack there is a persistent weak layer of surface hoar and crust that is now down about 60 cm.
triley,
Avalanche Canada
