Touchy storm slabs will develop with forecast strong winds and snow.
Confidence
Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Weather Forecast
THURSDAY: Continued snow with another 15 - 20 cm. Strong SW winds. Continued gradual warming with freezing level around 1100m and temperatures approaching a few degrees below freezing near treeline.FRIDAY: Periods of snow with another 5 - 10 cm. Moderate SW winds. Temperatures starting to cool with freezing level lowering to around 900m.SATURDAY: Cloudy with scattered flurries bringing another 5-10 cm. Light southerly winds and freezing levels dropping to 700 m.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported Tuesday or Wednesday morning. This will likely change as wind driven snow starts to accumulate.
Snowpack Summary
As of Wednesday morning, much of the region received 10-20cm of fresh snow accompanied by southwesterly winds, which has blanketed previously wind-affected surfaces (e.g. scoured crust, hard sastrugi, or stubborn wind slabs) in exposed areas, or around 20 cm of faceted snow in sheltered areas. The mid and lower snowpack are well settled and strong. The forecast shift in the weather means new wind slabs and storm slabs will be forming.
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.