Spring Conditions. Forecast new snow and wind will bring back that winter feeling in the mountains. Watch for new wind slabs that may not bond to the old hard surface.
Weather Forecast
Moderate southwest winds overnight with light snow and freezing levels around 1700 metres. Moderate southwest winds on Wednesday with light snow and freezing levels close to 2000 metres. A mix of sun and cloud on Thursday with light northerly winds and freezing levels climbing up to 2200 metres. Mostly clear on Friday with light southerly winds and freezing levels to 2500 metres.
Avalanche Summary
Natural avalanches up to size 3.0 were reported from Sunday in the central Purcells on alpine features with solar exposed aspects. Some glide cracks were also reported releasing up to size 2.5 during the heat of the day.
Snowpack Summary
The snow surface is currently going through a typical spring melt-freeze cycle on all aspects and at all elevations, except possibly high true-north slopes which could be holding onto cold snow. Forecast new snow and wind are expected to develop new windslabs in the alpine and at treeline. Higher elevations may feel more like winter for the next day or two, and new wind slabs may not bond well to the old hard re-frozen surface.
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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.