Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
Confidence
Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Sunday
Weather Forecast
Saturday night: Light snow. Light W winds. Freezing level at the surface.Sunday: Light snow. Light NW winds with gusty N winds. Alpine temperature near -7.Monday: Light snow. Light W winds, gusting to strong NW winds. Alpine temperature near -5.Tuesday: Light snow. Light S winds. Alpine temperature near -8.
Avalanche Summary
A widespread avalanche cycle was observed during the storm, which was particularly active as temperatures warmed up. Most avalanches were in the size 1-2 range and failed within, or at the base of, the storm snow. They were observed on all aspects and at most elevations.
Snowpack Summary
A series of warming events (sun and rain) and subsequent cooling has left a variety of crusts in the upper snowpack. Recent rain soaked the snowpack at low elevations, and moistened surface layers at upper elevations. A layer of surface hoar and/or a crust is buried about 40 cm deep. Wind slabs and cornices exist near ridge tops. Deeper in the snowpack, a weak interface buried in mid-February is still on the radar. Although unlikely to be triggered, it remains possible with a very heavy load or from a thin-spot trigger point, particularly in locations where the snowpack above this layer is free of supportive crusts.Until temperatures remain cool for an extended period of time, I’d maintain some degree of suspicion about the overall strength of the snowpack.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.