Regions
South Coast Inland.
Relatively light amounts of new snow may form wind slabs behind exposed features. These could become touchy if they are kissed by the sun on south aspect slopes.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: Becoming dry with some sun and cloud, following some light snow overnight. Winds northeasterly around 40 km/h. Treeline temperatures around -8C.MONDAY: Dry and sunny. Winds northeasterly 15-25 km/h. Temperatures around -16C.TUESDAY: Dry and sunny. Winds northeasterly 15-25 km/h. Temperatures around -18C.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported from this region on Friday. On Thursday, an avalanche cycle occurred up to size 2.5, typically running in steep gullies and wind loaded areas. Avalanches will become harder to trigger as the cold sets in.
Snowpack Summary
In total, between 60 and 90 cm new snow fell last week. The new snow is reported to be generally bonding well. Below the new snow lies the Boxing Day interface which, when buried, consisted of wind affected surfaces, faceted (sugary) snow, or surface hoar. The surface hoar has been observed up to 5 mm in size in the Duffey Lake area. A thin crust may also exist in the upper snowpack and was reported around Coquihalla area last weekend. Recent strong winds have been from a variety of directions and have been loading leeward and cross loaded features in wind exposed terrain. The mid-December interface is now down over 1 m and is generally considered to be stable in the region.
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.