Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

An unsettled NW flow brings light snow and cold temperatures. Tonight: trace; Wednesday: 10 cm; Thursday: 5-10 cm; Friday: trace. Winds are generally light. The freezing level stays at the surface. For more details check out http://www.avalanche.ca/weather.

Skiers triggered numerous loose dry and soft slab avalanches on Sunday in the size 1-2 range. There were also numerous natural loose dry and storm slab avalanches out of steep terrain. On Monday, skier triggering eased, but explosives still produced several size 1-2 storm slabs.

Up to 50 cm of low density snow now covers various surfaces, including the reactive mid-December surface hoar. This surface hoar can be found on all aspects in protected areas, but does not seem to be widespread across the region. In many areas, the new snow sits on top of a thin rain crust. No matter what the new snow overlies, it has been bonding poorly in most steep terrain. Moderate SW winds recently formed fresh wind slabs on lee features at treeline and in the alpine. At treeline elevation the early December crust, down around 50-100 cm, is thick and supportive, and may be capping deeper weaknesses. It may also be providing a good sliding surface for the odd larger avalanche.