Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Saturday

Saturday: A much drier day, with some light flurries possible. Snow beginning overnight with 5cm possible. Sunshine in some areas. Freezing level 500m. Moderate south-west winds.Sunday: 20cm snow during the day, with another 20cm overnight. Freezing level climbing to 1000m overnight. Moderate to strong southerlies.Monday: 5cm snow. Freezing level 1000m, lowering late on Monday to 500m.

Wind slabs and cornice releases dominated recent avalanche observations. Highways avalanche control produced numerous Size 2-3.5 slab avalanches. The largest of these failed at ground, up to 4m deep.

A relentless pummelling by snow, strong to extreme winds, and fluctuating freezing levels has added around 2m of new snow near Terrace and around 120cm near Stewart. Strong south to southwest winds have created hard and soft wind slabs on lee slopes. Large sensitive cornices also exist.Deeper in the snowpack, buried surface hoar and a crust-facet combo (which extends up to alpine elevations in the south and to 1000m in the north) remain a cause for concern, with the potential for deep, destructive avalanches. Recent observations suggest these layers may be gaining strength, however I wouldn't write them off just yet.