Warming temperatures and active weather may lead to an increase in avalanche activity this week. Stay conservative with your terrain selection
Weather Forecast
Warm, wet pacific air is battling with cold arctic air over the prairies. One low is pushing through Mon and a second will move through Thurs. Warm temperatures with freezing levels near 15-1700m. Moderate to Strong Southwest winds should be expected through Thursday. Precip will be steady Tuesday with significant amounts expected Wed and Thursday.
Snowpack Summary
West winds began to redistribute the recent low density storm snow today. This snow buried a thin crust on solar aspects and isolated windslabs found at treeline and above. Between 70 and 150cm now buries the weak February Facet Layer. Large avalanches will result if this layer is triggered given the demonstrated ability of this slab to propagate..
Avalanche Summary
One significant persistent slab released just before the cold snap. A few skier triggered windslabs have been seen in the neighboring areas. As we emerge from the cold temperatures there is concern for the persistent slabs to become touchy again. Rapid loading from the forecast wind and snow may result in significant avalanche activity.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
Problems
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.
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.