If the snowfall exceeds the forecast amounts, HIGH danger may be possible. Stay locally aware.
Summary
Confidence
Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Weather Forecast
Expect precip to ramp up overnight and into Thursday morning, with as much as 20cm of new snow and strong southerly winds. The freezing level should fall overnight then reach a maximum of 1300m. Friday / Saturday: Precipitation should taper dramatically and the sun will poke out again, with winds turning from southerly to westerly. Freezing levels will fall as the flow turns, bringing more seasonal temperatures.
Avalanche Summary
Loose wet avalanches up to size 2.0 triggered by daytime heating have been reported at lower elevations, as well as isolated cornice releases in the high alpine to size 2.0 that did not release deeper layers. Small windslab events have also occurred on lee and cross loaded terrain features.
Snowpack Summary
Above 1700m, up to 20cm of new snow now overlies the March 26 interface. This has been accompanied by consistently moderate and at times gusty southwesterly winds forming windslabs in lee locations. Cornices are huge, and will continue to grow with this weather pattern. The March 26 interface is a crust on all aspects except true north treeline and alpine, where small surface hoar (5mm) is present in sheltered places. At lower elevations, the surface snow has had less recovery and the upper snowpack is predominantly moist. Below the newest storm interface, last week's storm snow is well settled and bonded. The deep, persistent early February layers linger in the snowpack and remain a concern with heavy triggers.
mpeter,
Avalanche Canada
