Avalanche Forecast

High - The snowpack structure is generally well understood.

Tuesday Night- Clear periods / moderate northwest wind / alpine high temperature near -8 / freezing level at valley bottom

Wednesday - A mix of sun and cloud / moderate southwest wind / alpine high temperature near -2 / freezing level 1800 m 

Thursday - A mix of sun and cloud / moderate to strong southwest wind / alpine high temperature near -1 / freezing level 2000 m

Friday - Clear with cloudy periods / moderate southwest wind / alpine low temperature near / freezing level 2200 m

Reports on Monday outline several explosives controlled wind slab avalanches size 1.5 to 2 primarily on northerly aspects between 2000 and 2100 m.

A couple of MIN reports from Saturday near Ymir Peak detail a large (size 2.5), potentially remote triggered wind slab on a south aspect at 2300 metres. Check both reports for the story and the images. Heating from solar exposure was suspected to have contributed to triggering the slide. Quite a few more small loose snow avalanches were reported elsewhere in the region.

The region received around 10-15 cm of new snow over the weekend and into the early part of the week. For the most part, the new snow buries surfaces that became moist with daytime warming on Saturday. There is some uncertainty about the extent to which this moist snow refroze into crust in advance of the storm. The new snow adds to settled dry storm snow on high elevation north aspects.

Below an additional 30-40 cm of snow accumulated through last week and weekend, there is a widespread melt-freeze crust, with the exception of high north-facing terrain where faceted snow or surface hoar may exist at this interface.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Even brief periods of direct sun could produce natural avalanches.
• Be aware of highly variable recent wind loading patterns.