Avalanche Forecast

Little snow has fallen over the weekend. (Mt Cain got the most with 14 cm, Strathcona Park 7 cm, Mt Washington 2 cm, and the southern reaches at around 10 cm. Strong winds have continued to move this snow around to create variable depths depending on your location. Temps climbed as the freezing levels went up to approx 1300-1500 m on Sunday and then cooled as the evening chill set in. Some light rain was reported at lower elevations Sunday.

Moderate amounts of new snow are forecast to fall with most expected Monday and Wednesday. Strong winds from SE to SW will move the new snow around. Temps will drop after the warmth of Sunday, cooling the upper snowpack. Monday: 10 to 20 cm of new snow. Winds strong south to moderate west and south west. Temps -1 dropping to -6. freezing levels 1300 dropping to 600 m. Tuesday: 3 to 9 cm of new snow. Winds moderate south to south west. Temps -8 to -4. Freezing levels 200 to 800 m. Wednesday: 25 to 2 cm. Winds strong south east to moderate south east. Temps -5 to -1. Freezing levels 400 to 900 m.

Continue to avoid wind loaded terrain in the alpine and treeline. Moderate amounts of new snow and strong winds, during this forecast period, will only add to the windslabs that developed previously.Moderate amounts of new snowfall Monday and Wednesday will load on a hard sliding surface (old crust) in previously wind stripped zones. Take the time to dig down and check what the new snow is lying on and how well it is or is not bonding to the layer below. Give cornices a wide berth as winds of late will certainly have expanded their size. Avoid travel above and below these ridge top features..

The alpine and open spaces at treeline have been beaten by the winds over the past few days. Moist snow (due to warm temps and some light rain Sunday) at treeline and below treeline elevations are now cooling to a thin crust.

• Surface: Wind blown snow up high. Moist snow now freezing to a new exposed crust at lower elevations
• Upper: An old crust with a moderate bond to the snow above it. Some preserved dry snow under the crust.
• Mid: Well settled with a dormant persistent weak layer and old crusts
• Lower: Well settled

Moderate - Few reports from the field/public. If more reports come in we will try and update the bulletin. Weather models in agreement. Warm/moist trend ending and cold temps on the way to tighten the upper snowpack.