Temperatures will be slightly cooler on Saturday, and the avalanche hazard will gradually lower. We still have some concerns about isolated pockets of wind slab and/or a buried persistent layer down 10-30 cm in steep terrain, so watch for these.
A touch of new snow Saturday night will be a welcome addition!
Isolated wind slabs may still be a concern on steep lee aspects in the alpine and cornice failures are worth considering as the mild temepratures continue. Evaluate any steep wind loaded areas carefully before entering them.
A 10-30 cm surface slab over hard surfaces and/or a persistent surface hoar layer from Jan 24th is a problem that could catch users off guard in isolated locations. Check unsupported, steep open slopes where this problem may occur. Below treeline, this layer has been reactive in Kootenay.
Wet loose avalanches may still be possible if the skies remain clear tomorrow, but they will be less likely than the past two days. Temperatures will be a little cooler with more wind, and some cloud is expected later in the afternoon. Watch for localized heating on sheltered solar aspects.
On Friday Lake Louise reported a few small loose wet avalanches at lower elevations in the sun, where the snow pack was thin and becoming isothermal.
One loose wet size 2 was reported on a steep solar aspect in the alpine at Sunshine. Some pin wheeling was also reported out of steep solar terrain in several locations.
Less avalanche activity overall than on Thursday.
Warm temperatures have resulted in crusts or moist snow, depending on the time of day, on solar aspects to treeline and some steep solar alpine terrain. North aspects remain mostly dry and cool. 10-30 cm overlies the Jan 24th interface of surface hoar, crust and/or previously wind-affected snow.
Widespread previous wind effect in alpine and open exposed areas at treeline.
Saturday: Lowering temperatures overall but still mild. Freezing levels to 2100 m with moderate to strong SW winds (-2°C at treeline). Light snow flurries developing in the evening with up to 5 cm overnight.
Sunday: Flurries in the morning and cooler temperatures with freezing levels to 1800 m (-6°C at treeline). Winds dropping to light from the west.
