Avalanche hazard will increase through the day Tuesday. Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy snowfall and strong wind. Be aware of what is above you at all times as large avalanches may run full path.
Fresh, reactive storm slabs are forming through the day Tuesday. Below treeline hazard reflects the potential for large avalanches to initiate at upper elevation bands and run to valley bottom.
Yet another storm arrives Tuesday, becoming warmer (and wetter) on Wednesday before cooling as precip tapers on Thursday.
Monday night: Flurries starting, 5-10 cm. Moderate southwest wind. Freezing level 1600m.
Tuesday: 10-20 cm new snow. Moderate southwest wind increasing to strong overnight. Freezing level climbing to 1800 m.
Wednesday: 10-20 mm mixed precipitation. Strong southwest wind. Freezing level 2300 m in the early am, dropping to 2100 m.
Thursday: Flurries tapering, up to 5 cm. Light westerly wind. Freezing level 1400 m.
On Sunday, a widespread natural storm slab avalanche cycle was observed up to size 3 and running to valley bottom along the Highway 1 corridor near Revelstoke. Explosive control work at alpine and treeline elevations produced storm slabs up to size 2.5, some notables entraining loose wet and running full path.
On Friday, a natural storm slab avalanche cycle was observed size 2-3. Multiple size 1 and 1.5 avalanches were triggered by explosives and skiers near Revelstoke. The Mountain Information Network received several reports of reactive storm snow. Whumpfing and cracking within the storm snow was seen on low and steep angle terrain, at treeline and above. By Saturday, avalanche activity had largely subsided, the only reports being a few small skier controlled soft slabs on convex rolls.
The snowpack hasn't had a lot of time to adjust to significant loading by recent storms, and yet another meteorological pounding arrives Tuesday. 15-30 cm of new snow falls amid strong wind, ontop of nearly a meter of recent moist snow. In some areas a rain crust may exist at the interface between recent storms.
The mid November crust is up to 5cm thick and found down 70-150cm with faceting below the crust. The lower snowpack contains several early season crusts which appear well bonded.
Snowpack depths exceed 300cm at treeline and alpine elevations, while below 1600m depth decreases rapidly with elevation.
