Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

Thursday: Flurries in the morning, then clearing. Winds moderate northwesterly becoming light northeasterly. Treeline temperatures around -15C.Friday: Clear and sunny. Generally light northeasterly winds. Temperatures around -22C.Saturday: Clear and sunny. Generally light easterly winds. Temperatures around -25C.

Some natural and skier-triggered avalanche activity was noted from the weekend - it appears as though it can be characterized as small wind slab activity. If you're out in the mountains and see recent avalanches please snap a photo and submit your information to the Mountain Information Network.

The inland region picked up 5 to 15cm of new snow over the weekend accompanied by wind that was initially out of the west, but has since switched to being out of the southeast. This new snow rests on a wide variety of old surfaces including small facets, crusts on solar aspects and stubborn old wind slabs near ridge crest. In protected areas below 1500m the new snow may be sitting on previously formed feathery surface hoar.Two crusts formed near the end of November are found approximately 30 to 50cm below the surface. These crusts are widespread and extend into the alpine. Previous snowpack tests produced hard results on these crusts, but we have not seen any recent information about their sensitivity to triggering. Below these crusts, a well settled mid-pack overlies the late October crust which is down near the ground. The October crust is widespread and has not been reactive to human triggering since the end of November. Average snowpack depths in the region are between 80 and 140cm at treeline, with up to 160cm in the alpine.