Wind slabs continue to be reactive at higher elevations. A persistent slab problem still exists and has been responsible for sporadic human-triggered avalanches.
Summary
Confidence
High -
Weather Forecast
MONDAY NIGHT: Clear skies, moderate to strong east wind, alpine temperature -11 C.TUESDAY: Mostly clear skies, moderate southeast wind, alpine temperature -8 C.WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 1 to 3 cm, light to moderate east wind, alpine temperature -8 C.THURSDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 5 to 10 cm, moderate southwest wind, alpine temperature -10 C.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous small (size 1) wind slab avalanches were reported on Monday. They were triggered naturally and by skiers. They occurred on west to northwest aspects between 1800 and 2200 m and were 10 to 30 cm deep.Also on Monday, a large (size 2) persistent slab avalanche was triggered by a snow sluff caused by a vehicle. It released on the mid-February layer described in the Snowpack Summary. It was 35 cm deep, on a southeast aspect, and at 1900 m. A similar avalanche was triggered by a skier on Saturday;
check it out here.Snowpack Summary
Strong east wind has scoured the snow surface in exposed terrain and produced wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded terrain features. In sheltered areas, soft snow may still be found. On sunny slopes, you may find moist snow during the day or otherwise a frozen melt-freeze crust.Two layers of weak and feathery surface hoar crystals are buried in the snowpack between 30 and 60 cm deep, which were buried mid-February and early-February. The layers may be associated with a melt-freeze crust on southerly aspects. These layers remain reactive in snowpack tests and have produced sporadic avalanches in the region.
mconlan,
Avalanche Canada
