Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
The danger will begin at moderate and climb as the new snow accumulates. If you find more than 20cm of new snow, expect danger to be considerable.
Confidence
Fair - Timing of incoming weather is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Monday: Expect clouds to build with precipitation beginning in the afternoon and continuing through the evening. Up to 15-20cm are possible. Temperatures should reach -7 with light west winds.Tuesday: Flurries are possible with light accumulations and temperatures of -8. Winds stay westerly but increase through the day before easing overnight.Wednesday: Another wave of precipitation with accumulations of 15-20cm possible. Winds turn southwesterly and increase to 70km/h with temperatures reaching -8.
Avalanche Summary
Continued sluffing in steep terrain to size 1.0, otherwise no new.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 15cm of low density new snow overlies the January 4th interface. Moderate south/southwest winds have redistributed this new snow into small windslabs in immediate lee features in the alpine and exposed treeline.The January 4th interface consists predominantly of loose facets up to 30cm deep. In isolated locations (sheltered treeline and below treeline) surface hoar up to 12mm is present. There is a 1-3cm sun crust on steep south and west facing terrain. In exposed locations, old windslabs linger. The new snow is bonding poorly to this interface.The midpack is well bonded and strong. Concern remains in specific locations (Rossland Range) for the November 28 surface hoar buried 95cm. The deep crust/facet combo from early November still exists and concern remains (although unlikely) for triggering from a shallow spot.
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.
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.