Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Tuesday: Warming, rising freezing levels and strong winds are forecast. Up to 30mm of precipitation is expected with freezing levels near 700m. Ridgetop winds will be 95km/hr from the SW. Wednesday: Heavy precipitation continues 25mm. Freezing levels near 300 in the morning then rising up to 700m in the afternoon. Thursday: Strong winds will taper off early in the day, freezing levels at valley bottom, and few flurries expected as a ridge builds across the region.

Minimal avalanche observations region wide today. Natural size 1 avalanches were observed from the Duffy, with limited visibility.

10-20cms of new snow fell overnight adding to the previous 25-40cms that fell over the weekend. The new snow is setting up a fresh storm slab, and wind slabs on top of the previous cold, low density snow from the last week. A weak interface exists lower in the snowpack down 40-60cms. This interface consists of old decomposing snow crystals, preserved snow crystals (stellars), and facets (sugary crystals). Tests done on this interface are showing moderate to hard results, but sudden planar characteristics. This may be a layer to watch with more snow and wind forecast. The rain crust itself lies buried around 40-60cm below the surface up to around 1900m. The bond at this crust is reported to be quite good. On steep slopes, this interface, or the one above it, definitely has the potential to act as a good sliding surface. Weak layers lower in the snowpack have generally ceased to be of concern, except perhaps in very isolated, thin rocky areas.