Cool temperatures will keep crusts frozen. There are still some lingering wind slabs on high northerly aspects where the snow remains dry and cold.
Summary
Confidence
High -
Weather Forecast
THURSDAY: Isolated flurries / Light north wind / Alpine temperature -6 / Freezing level 1400m FRIDAY: Mix of sun, cloud and scattered flurries / Light northwest wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 1500m SATURDAY: Scattered flurries / Light northwest wind / Alpine temperature -5 / Freezing level 1600m
Avalanche Summary
On Tuesday there were two size 1.5 skier triggered wind slab avalanches reported on north and northwest aspects in the alpine. Reports from the past several days primarily included wet loose avalanches to size 2 in steeper terrain on sunny aspects.
Snowpack Summary
The main story has been the sun's effect on south and west facing slopes over the past several days. Daytime heating has resulted in moist or wet snow on sunny aspects and then freezing to form a crust overnight. High elevation northerly aspects still hold dry snow. Persistent weak layers from early January and mid-December are still being reported by local operators. They are generally considered dormant, but could wake up with a surface avalanche stepping down, a cornice fall, or a human trigger in a shallow or variable-depth snowpack area. These layers consist of sun crust, surface hoar and/or facets.
mbender,
Avalanche Canada
