Avalanche Forecast

High -

Sunday night: Cloudy with clear periods. Light to moderate north winds. Monday: Mainly cloudy. Light northwest winds shifting to southwest in the evening before increasing. Alpine high temperatures around -11.Tuesday: Cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow, increasing a bit overnight. Light to moderate southwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -6.Wednesday: Mainly cloudy with continuing flurries bringing 5-10 cm of new snow, including overnight accumulations, ending early in the day. Alpine high temperatures around -5.

Sunday was a busy day for avalanches running on the newly buried weak layer below our new snow. Numerous small storm slabs were observed releasing naturally, with remote (from a distance) triggers, and with skier traffic and ski cutting throughout the South Columbias as well as in neighbouring regions.Storm slabs were especially reactive, although usually quite thin (15-20 cm), from about 1500 to 1800 metres, where surface hoar is most prevalent. In the alpine, where surface hoar is less well preserved, quite a few larger (size 2), deeper wind slabs released with similar triggers, with a focus toward northeast aspects in the lee of recent moderate to strong winds.On Saturday, the new snow was reactive to skier traffic in steep terrain producing fast moving sluffs and some small (size 1) slab avalanches. Small natural avalanches (20 cm deep) were also reported on north and east aspects.Slab avalanches are currently most likely in wind affected terrain and at mid elevations where our surface hoar is best preserved. The key is watching for signs of the new snow becoming reactive, such as cracking, whumpfing, or stiffer deeper pockets of snow.

15-25 cm of new snow from the weekend now sits above a layer of large surface hoar crystals and sun crusts. The new snow has been settling into a thin but reactive slab above this weak layer, with enhanced reactivity noted at elevations between about 1500-1800 metres, where surface hoar is particularly well developed. Although the surface hoar is less prevalent in the alpine, strong southerly winds during and immediately after the storm formed deeper deposits on lee slopes that have proven similarly reactive at higher elevations. New snow deposits that overlie sun crust on steep, south-facing slopes may be especially touchy. The middle and lower portions of the snowpack are generally well-settled and strong.