Cold arctic air entrenched in area yet temperature inversion forming. -22 in valley and -8 at 1900m.
Weather Forecast
Cold Arctic air remains entrenched for the next few days. No significant precipitation and sunny periods. Winds will feel like they are coming out of the N and E. Inversion setting up as its -22 in the valley and -9 at 1900m.
Snowpack Summary
20cm of snow Thursday's to Sunday in the Icefields area has buried previous wind slabs, tree line and above. The mid-pack remains generally supportive however it appears to be loosing strength particularly in shallow locations. An amazingly good snow pack for the Rockies in December.
Avalanche Summary
Friday's avalanche control work at the Icefields released several loose size 2 avalanches in thin steep snowpack areas below treeline. Natural avalanches have been limited to similar characteristics, steep, rocky, thin areas creating loose avalanches.
Confidence
The weather pattern is stable
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.