Regions
Northwest Coastal.
The snow keeps piling up! Give the new snow a couple days to settle before you decide to tackle more committing terrain.
Confidence
Fair - Due to limited field observations
Weather Forecast
Mainly sunny skies are expected on Wednesday with a freezing level near valley bottom. Winds should ease to light from the W-NW. Another weak frontal system should cross the region on Thursday bringing light to moderate snowfall and stronger winds. The freezing level will rise to around 1000m. Friday should be drier with a mix of sun and cloud and a freezing level near valley bottom.
Avalanche Summary
There are no new observations in the past 24 hours. Explosive control work on the weekend produced several slab avalanches up to Size 3. Most of these avalanches released in the storm snow, and in some cases at or near the ground. One observer suspects recent avalanche activity in the Shames Valley may involve the mid-November surface hoar layer, but it is unconfirmed. Surface hoar was not found in a test profile in the area on Monday.
Snowpack Summary
The snow keeps piling up with another 25-30cm in the past 24 hours and more on the way. The snowpack depth near treeline is now close to 400cm in some areas. Fluctuating freezing levels and varying precipitation intensity and wind throughout the recent storms has probably resulted in several weaknesses within upper snowpack and wind slab development in exposed areas near ridge crest. A buried surface hoar layer may be found down close to 100/150cm, but there is no recent information on the presence and sensitivity of this layer. The mid and lower snowpack is generally well settled/strong with an old rain crust near the ground.
Problems
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.
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.