Increased cloud cover and light snowfall will decrease the possibility of loose/wet avalanches starting Monday.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Increased cloudiness and light snowfall amounts are expected Mon through Weds. Accumulations are not expected to exceed 13cm in the Sunshine Village area and about the same through out the region. Wind will remain light to moderate from the South. Check our
weather stations for current conditions.
Snowpack Summary
A well settled snowpack with few weaknesses exists throughout the region. There is moist surface snow/sun crust on steep solar aspects. Isolated wind slabs exist on leeward slopes in the alpine. Below 2000m, the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar and facets remains visible down 35-70 cm but is currently dormant. Thin areas are faceting out and weakening.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous loose wet snow avalanches up to size 2 have been observed on steep rocky terrain with the sun affect and warm alpine temperatures. Forecasters ski cut a small windslab 15m wide, 10cm deep 30m long at 2450m in the alpine (size 0.5). Several recent small cornice failures have also been observed.
Confidence
Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
aaron beardmore,
Parks Canada
