Extensive wind effect has likely occurred at higher elevations. The best (and safest) riding may be found on sheltered slopes at treeline and below.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Wind effect is extremely variable
Weather Forecast
Light flurries (no more than 3 cm each day) are expected for all 3 days of the forecast period. Moderate southwest ridgetop winds forecast for Monday and Tuesday will ease to light and westerly by Wednesday. The freezing level should sit at valley bottom for the foreseeable future. For a more detailed weather discussion, please check-out our Mountain Weather Forecast at: avalanche.ca/weather.
Avalanche Summary
Recently, natural and human-triggered wind slab avalanches in the size 1-1.5 range were observed in the alpine and at treeline. As the stormy weather tapers-off, so should natural avalanche activity. However, wind slab avalanches may remain sensitive to human-triggering for a few days.
Snowpack Summary
On Sunday there was up to 15cm of fresh snow bringing the 48 hour total to about 35cm in the deeper snowpack parts of the region. Strong to extreme southerly winds have likely redistributed much of this snow into much deeper wind slabs in exposed lee features in the alpine and at treeline. In more sheltered terrain, I would expect deep powder and really good riding. Between 80 and 120cm below the surface you'll likely find a weak layer of well-developed surface hoar. This layer is most widespread and reactive at lower elevations (between 1400m and 1800m.) Snow pit tests suggest that human triggering of this interface has become unlikely in most areas. That said, if it does fail the overlying slab is stiff enough to propagate over a wide distance. Below this layer, the snowpack is thought to be generally strong and well-settled.
jlammers,
Avalanche Canada
