Regions
Northwest Inland.
Confidence
Poor - Due to limited field observations
Weather Forecast
Synopsis: The true pineapple breaks down Friday and a more zonal flow builds in its place. The North Coast inland will see a few small dribs and drabs of precip through the forecast period. Friday: Freezing Level 200m. Precip: 7-12mm/10-20cm. Wind: Strong, SouthSaturday: Freezing Level 400m. Precip: Trace. Wind: West, Moderate gusting StrongSunday: Freezing Level surface. Precip: Trace Wind: Light, NE
Avalanche Summary
Some thin wind slabs were released from ski cutting on East thru Southeast aspects at treeline Wednesday.
Snowpack Summary
Strong Southwest winds are re-distributing new snow into wind slabs, and reverse loading areas that were stripped by recent Northwest winds. These wind slabs may be sitting above recently developed surface hoar and surface facets in area where they were not stripped by the wind. Strong solar radiation may have developed sun crusts on solar aspects up to about 2000 metres. The mid pack is reported to be well settled without any layers of concern. Depth hoar and facets are reported near the ground in areas with a thin snow pack.
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.