Regions
Northwest Coastal.
Watch for thin wind slabs if you're traveling in the alpine Tuesday.
Confidence
Good - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Thursday
Weather Forecast
High and dry conditions remain in place until Wednesday evening when a storm is expected to impact the region with potentially significant precipitation amounts. Tuesday: Clear skies. Light NW winds at treeline, Moderate NW winds at ridgetop. Freezing level rising to 800m, returning to valley bottom overnight. No significant precipitation. Wednesday: Increasing cloud cover. Light W winds at treeline, Moderate to Strong NW winds at ridgetop. Freezing level rising to 800m, lowering to 500m overnight. No significant precipitation. Wednesday Night: 1 to 5cm of snow. Thursday: 5 to 20cm of snow. Strong SW winds at treeline, Strong to Extreme SW winds at ridgetop. Freezing level rising to 1500m, remaining at 1500m Thursday night.
Avalanche Summary
A size 3 avalanche was observed from a steep un-skiable solar aspect over the weekend. Last week, several full-depth avalanches up to size 3 were observed on all but north aspects.
Snowpack Summary
Keep an eye out for cornices, which may collapse. Small wind slabs can be found on some lee alpine slopes. On other slopes, variable surfaces include a skiff of recent snow, a sun crust or old rain crust, surface hoar, and/or surface facets. At the base of the snowpack, weak facets may be found.
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.