Alpine North aspects are providing the best skiing. Watch for fresh soft slab at ridge top.
Weather Forecast
A weak upper trough will drift east from the coast today bringing afternoon convective flurries. As it passes there will be a shift to drier modified arctic air to move south. Alpine high of -10C today and light ridge top winds. The freezing level should rise to 800m this afternoon. Little in the way of precipitation for the remainder of the week.
Snowpack Summary
Winds picked up last evening from the S-SW into the moderate range likely forming soft slabs on lee features in the alpine. Trips to Perly Rock area and Lily Dome loop found generally well bonded snow and little wind effect. Layers of concern down 30-60cm are crusts on S aspects and surface hoar on protected north facing terrain.
Avalanche Summary
Two slides to size 2 out of steep solar terrain on Mt Tupper yesterday at mid-day. One size 1 slab off the N aspect of the wind scoop below the W side of Dome col. This slide was 20cm deep, 40m across and ran down into the scoop, maybe 10m distance. This slide appeared to be human triggered sometime on February 20.
Confidence
The weather pattern is stable
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.