Forecast problems and ratings reflect snowfall hotspots where up to 20 cm should create lively surface instabilities. Light new snow amounts shouldn't present much of a hazard elsewhere.
Sunday night's storm should form small new wind slabs to manage in most areas. A more widespread storm slab problem accompanied by larger, more reactive wind slabs should be expected in areas that receive more than 15 cm of new snow.
Increasing solar radiation will promote new snow shedding from solar slopes on Monday. This will mainly be a problem where more than 10 cm of new snow accumulates.
No new avalanches were reported in the region over the past several days However, observations are quite limited. Reactive surface instabilities will be in play on Monday, especially where snowfall is greatest.
If you are heading into the backcountry, please consider sharing conditions by posting a MIN.
5-10 cm of new snow (Closer to 15 or 20 near Elkford/Sparwood) should accumulate through Monday morning. This will bury melt-freeze crust on solar aspects and otherwise add to 20 to 30 cm of recent snow, previously affected by extreme southwest winds, which either formed wind slabs on lee aspects (now a few days old) or stripped windward slopes to the crust below.
The recent snow sits on a thick crust and the snowpack below is moist to ground and well settled in most locations. Northerly aspects in the alpine may still be an exception.
The snowpack depth tapers rapidly at lower elevations.
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy with flurries bringing 5 to 10 cm of new snow, closer to 15 to 20 cm in parts of Elk Valley. 30 to 50 km/h west ridgetop wind, easing. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Monday
A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
Tuesday
Sunny. 20 km/h south ridgetop wind, easing. Treeline temperature -3 °C with freezing level rising to 1700 m.
Wednesday
A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
