Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the timing of the incoming weather system.

Thursday night: Flurries, 5-10 cm. Alpine temperature -4 C, southwest wind 25-40 km/hr.

Friday: Snow and flurries, 5-15 cm. Alpine temperature -1 C, southwest wind 25-35 km/hr.

Saturday: More snow, 10-25 cm. Alpine temperature -5, southwest wind 20-35 km/hr.

Sunday: Sunny with cloudy periods. Alpine temperature -10, north wind 10-20 km/hr.

On Wednesday, storm snow continued to be reactive to skier traffic, including triggering slab avalanches to size 2, and cracking on small, supported slopes. A couple of field observations reported slab avalanches failing on a layer of surface hoar (down 60-80 cm) at treeline elevations.

On Tuesday, a natural avalanche cycle was observed in Glacier National Park. Numerous size 2 storm slab avalanches were observed on all aspects at 2200 m and above. Additionally, 2 size 3 storm slab avalanches were observed on a north aspect at 2165 m and a northwest aspect at 2400 m. Near Revelstoke, storm slab avalanches to size 2 were reacting easily to explosives, many occurring on north and northeast aspects from 1800-2300 m.

The early week storm snow totals varied from 25-55 cm along with moderate westerly winds. Slabs have formed in areas exposed to wind. The new snow covered a faceted upper snowpack and previously wind-affected surfaces, and surface hoar in sheltered areas around treeline and below.

Down 50-75 cm, below the new snow and old, wind affected snow, a layer of surface hoar (feathery crystals) may be found in sheltered areas around treeline. In these areas old, stubborn wind slabs may still be reactive where they overly the weak surface hoar or a crust.

A variety of crusts from late October are buried deeper in the snowpack. Total snow depths range from 120-150 cm around tree line.