Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Friday

Friday: Cloudy with flurries bringing a possible 5-10 cm of new snow. Winds light from the southeast. Freezing level to 700 metres with alpine temperatures of -2. Saturday: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries bringing up to 5 cm of new snow, beginning in the afternoon. Winds light to moderate from the west. Freezing level to 500 metres with alpine temperatures of -2. Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Winds light from the northeast. Freezing level to 800 metres with alpine temperatures of -1.

No new slab avalanches have been reported recently but the thin graupel layer that exists on the surface in some areas has been noted sluffing fast over long distances. Forecast accumulations of new snow can be expected to increase this hazard.Although the extent of recent wind slab formation is uncertain, the possibility for lingering wind slabs remains a concern. Look for these in immediate lee features on northerly aspects in exposed, high elevation terrain.

Scattered convective flurries recently deposited up to 3cm of graupel on the snow surface in some areas of the South Coast. Below it, the snow surface is a mix of sun crust on solar aspects and surface hoar on shaded aspects. At higher elevations, the widespread mid-February rain crust is now down around 30-50 cm, below our recent storm snow. This recent snow is reportedly well bonded to the crust. The crust itself is supportive and roughly 20cm thick. Below the crust, the snowpack is still moist as a result of the heavy rain from last week. Moderate southerly wind during the storm may have formed wind slabs at ridge crests.