Persistent instabilities are still present in our snow pack and may be triggered more easily with daytime warming. Use conservative terrain selection. CAMERON LAKE ROAD CLOSED THROUGH WEDNESDAY - check Alberta 511 for updates.
Weather Forecast
Watch for afternoon warming and sunshine with highs to 5C for Akamina Pass elevation most days. A moderate westerly flow is expected. Overnight temperatures will recover nicely so best time to travel would be early. Warming will weaken the already unstable snowpack.
Snowpack Summary
Persistent instabilities still very much a concern despite cooler overnight temps. Snowpack temps on solar aspects at 1650m showed most of the pack just below freezing as a result of the significant warming this past weekend. The weak facet layer is 70 to 170cm deep depending on aspect. Test results on it showed very easy triggering is possible.
Avalanche Summary
With moderate west winds transporting the 5cm overnight snowfall numerous small avalanches were observed by mid day Tuesday. The large cycle from the weekend ended with the overnight cooling and lower daytime temperatures but solar heating with bluebird days is a concern. Avoid slopes below cornices.
Confidence
Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.