The weather forecast calls for a mix of sun and cloud, yet relatively cool temperatures. Minimize your exposure to sunny slopes when the sun is out for extended periods.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Saturday
Weather Forecast
We'll have variably sunny weather on Saturday before a weak system comes through on Sunday. Temperatures are staying cool for this time of year. SATURDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods / Light to moderate west wind / Alpine temperature +1 / Freezing level 1500m decreasing to 1000m by noon. SUNDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries / Light to moderate west wind / Alpine temperature -1 / Freezing level decreasing to 500m MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light to moderate south wind / Alpine temperature -1 / Freezing level 500m
Avalanche Summary
There is no recent notable avalanche activity to report.
Snowpack Summary
We've seen only small amounts of new snow (1-8cm) in the past two days with daytime high temperatures rising to just above freezing at tree line elevations. The end result has given us a ~3cm thick melt-freeze crust that is generally unsupportive at lower elevations (below tree line) and supportive at higher elevations (tree line), particularly in the North Shore mountains. Alpine areas around Squamish likely received about 60-100 cm of storm snow and more wind early in the week. In these areas the storm snow is possibly sitting on a mixture of weak grains including a crust on solar aspects and potentially facets/surface hoar on polar aspects. Below the storm snow the snowpack is generally well settled and strong.
Problems
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.