The storm may be winding down, but avalanche hazard will remain heightened for now. Conservative terrain selection is recommended.
Confidence
Low - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
TUESDAY NIGHT - Cloudy with flurries, up to 5 cm / moderate southwest winds / freezing level 1200-1300mWEDNESDAY - Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries, up to 5 cm / moderate southwest winds / freezing level 1400-1500mTHURSDAY - Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries / light to moderate south to west winds / freezing level 1000mFRIDAY - A mix of sun and cloud, no new snow / freezing level 800-1000m
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanche observations have been reported in the region. This may be due to low numbers of field observations rather than a lack of avalanche activity.
Snowpack Summary
Ongoing snowfall since Sunday night in the Cariboo region brings total recent storm snow amounts to anywhere from 40-70cm cm by Wednesday morning. This new snow is sitting on top of a weak layer of surface hoar (feathery crystals) and sun crust on steeper south facing slopes.At the base of the snowpack is a crust that formed in late October. There have been very limited reports of this layer showing signs of reactivity in the Cariboos, however with recent winds, high freezing levels and new snow, this layer could come into play. Storm snow avalanches may have the potential to trigger large, full depth avalanches on this layer.Snowpack depths taper quickly with elevation.
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.