Avalanche hazard will rise with significant snowfall (40cm+) and strong winds over the next three days. It's time to turn on the "avalanche brain" again after a pretty slow start to the winter snowpack thus far.
Confidence
Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Light precipitation will begin on Wednesday with accumulations near 8 to 10cm. Thursday should see a more significant pulse of snow with total snowfall amounts near 15 to 20cm. Winds will increase up to 60km/h out of the SW on Thursday and temperatures for the next couple of days will be seasonal before cooling off significantly on Friday.
Avalanche Summary
Very isolated small sluffs were observed in steep alpine terrain today.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 20cm of new snow fell in areas close to the continental divide with only about 6cm in the valley floor. This snow appears to have arrived with little to no wind effect. This snow sits on a wide variety of previous surfaces including facets, surface hoar, hard slab and rock/dirt. The November rain crust sitting approximately 20cm above the ground will be a layer to watch.
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.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.