Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
Expect avalanche activity to rise with new snowfall accumulating through the day Monday combined with moderate wind and warming temperatures. Danger ratings updated 9:30am Dec19, 2016.
Confidence
Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Weather Forecast
Monday: Cloudy with scattered flurries, accumulations from Sunday night through Monday 10-20cm / Moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -9Tuesday: Flurries, accumulations 5-10cm / Moderate to strong southwest wind / Alpine temperature of -6Wednesday: Cloudy with scattered flurries / Moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -5
Avalanche Summary
Expect avalanche activity to rise with new snowfall accumulating Sunday night through the day Monday combined with moderate wind and warming temperatures.
Snowpack Summary
10-20cm of new snow has buried previously formed winslabs, facets and surface hoar. Moderate to strong winds have loaded leeward features with new touchy wind slabs. A widespread crust that was buried in November is typically down 80-100cm. Recent tests show variable results with this persistent weakness. Some show results as hard and resistant and other show it may have the propensity to propagate large avalanches if triggered from thin rocky areas.
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.