If your receive less then 20 cm of new snow in your local riding area, consider the danger ratings to be one step to high on Tuesday.
Confidence
Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Weather Forecast
Tuesday: The trailing cold front has brought temperatures back down to seasonal norms. The next well developed system brings light-moderate (10-20 cm) snow amounts. Ridgetop winds will blow strong from the SW and alpine temperatures will be near -6. Freezing levels will hover around 1300 m. Wednesday: Upper disturbances embedded in the SW flow will bring continued stormy conditions. Snow amounts 10-15 cm throughout the day, tapering off overnight. Ridgetop winds will continue to be moderate-strong from the SW. Alpine temperatures near -7 and freezing levels around 1100 m. Thursday: Week unsettled conditions will prevail with no significant precipitation. Ridgetop winds will blow light from the South. Alpine temperatures near -8 and freezing levels will stay near 900 m in the afternoon then falling overnight.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches reported. Aggressive slope testing in the Allen Creek area produced no results on steep wind loaded slopes.
Snowpack Summary
The old storm snow has settled into a dense slab that can be triggered by skiers or sledders and produce avalanches up to size 2.0. There has been a lot of wind transport and wind slab formation in the alpine. Forecast new snow and strong SW winds will build fresh wind slabs and add to the recent storm slab which sits on a spotty and variable weak interface buried 40-80 cm down (in isolated locations). Professionals are finding the early January surface hoar layer to be well preserved in more locations below 2000 metres than had been suspected. Use extra caution on open slopes, cutblocks and convex rolls at and below treeline where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
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.