More snow has increased the likelihood and consequence of avalanche. Use conservative terrain selection and avoid complex terrain. Remember coverage has been poor below treeline and new snow may be barely hiding many hazards.
Weather Forecast
Arctic air has taken over the weather and is squeezing the last of the moisture out of the last system from the coast over the prairies as the temperatures drop. By Monday night things will become dry as temperatures hit bottom at around - 25. Winds will be out of the North for the period which generally means they will be on the divide.
Snowpack Summary
Another 10cm of new snow fell on the divide Saturday night with double this over the front ranges. The slab over the persistent weak layer consisting of Surface Hoar and Facets over a strong crust is now 80 to 100cm thick. The new snow is hiding windslabs built by strong west winds at alpine and treeline elevations.
Avalanche Summary
The new snow is hiding any evidence of recent avalanche activity however at least one large natural was seen between the storms on Friday. This slab failed just beneath the cornice above Forum lake, 100m wide and pulled several other slabs as it scoured down the steep alpine face. Reports of skier triggering continue in nearby areas.
Confidence
Due to the number of field observations
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.
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.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.