Strong to extreme winds and new snow have created a windslab problem. Human triggered avalanches are likely.
Spring weather can change rapidly! Have a backup plan if conditions aren't what you were expecting.
Strong Southwest winds are building windslabs in the Alpine, Treeline and below treeline in wide open valleys (like the Illecilewaet & Connaught). This problem will be most reactive in lee features and will be reactive to human triggering.
A persistent weak layer (PWL), buried March 5th, is now down 60-120cm in the snowpack. Depending on aspect and elevation, this layer may be suncrust, facets and/or surface hoar. There's potential for step-down avalanches with this layer from other avalanches or cornice fall.
Avalanche activity has tapered off in the last few days. The majority of the action has been either solar triggered loose dry when the sun pops out or windslabs at ridge top in the alpine.
Convective squalls have incrementally delivered up to 40-60cms of new snow in the last week. Recent wind has been redistributing the storm snow. The March 5th interface, down 50-100cm, consists of a crust &/or surface hoar (3-10mm, largest in the alpine). Two persistent weak layers (PWL) of heavily facetted snow from cold temps in Jan/Feb are now buried 120-160cm deep.
Periods of snow and flurries for the next few days.
Tonight Cloudy with snow flurries. Snow: trace. Alpine low -8°C. Ridge wind SW 20-40km/hr
Fri Flurries. 10cm. Alpine high -6°C. Ridge winds SW 15 gusting 55km/h. FZL 1300m.
Sat Cloudy sunny periods, trace snow. Alpine high -8°C. Wind: West 20-40km/h. FZL 1200m.
Sun Cloudy with flurries. Alpine high -6°C. Wind SW 10-20. Freezing Level (FZL) 1300m.
