This is our first storm in quite sometime. The avalanche hazard has risen as a result of strong winds and new snow load.
Summary
Weather Forecast
The pineapple express that delivered rain and snow yesterday is being pushed south by a high pressure ridge. Freezing levels will hover around 1500m with lingering flurries today and mainly cloudy skies. Gradual clearing into Monday with more cooling as the ridge over our region strengthens. No precipitation is expected until mid next week.
Snowpack Summary
15-20cm of storm snow above 1900m. A mix of rain and snow (~15.0mm) below this elevation with a light dusting over a crust/moist snow. Storm winds peaked at over 130km/hr, wind slab at tree line and above will be a concern. Top 50cm has a few buried crusts that lay beneath previous wind slab which were reactive to human triggering.
Avalanche Summary
A natural cycle of moist/wet avalanches yesterday in the highway corridor. Avalanches were observed to size 2.5. This cycle continued into the evening as rain, snow and wind continued. Two days ago on Dome Glacier, a size 2.0 wind slab was triggered by the 5th skier on the slope, running 130m to the bench below the headwall.
Confidence
Due to the number of field observations