Solar activity is not expected to be a factor today however that may change. A short burst of sun goes a long way into the snowpack. It will affect the weak layers and increase the overhead cornice hazard.
Weather Forecast
Weak low will approach the interior today. Increasing cloudiness and light snow is forecast with light south west winds into tomorrow morning. Ridge then rebuilds on sunday keeping conditions mostly clear and dry.
Snowpack Summary
The upper snowpack is 70cm of settling snow. The Mar 13 (down ~50-70cm) and the Mar 2 (down ~1m) crust/surface hoar layers are reactive in snowpack tests where they exist. The Feb 10-Jan22 layers are down 1.5-2m and continue to show the potential for big avalanches.
Avalanche Summary
Size 3.0 natural slab avalanche, cornice trigger, in Grizzly Bowl yesterday, east aspect, 2500m. A skier accidental from Bruins Ridge, down 20cm, 20-30m wide, east aspect. Skiers reported hearing many whoomphs on the rolling terrain to Little Sifton. 4 natural avalanches were observed in the highway corridor from size 2.0 to 2.5 yesterday morning.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Sunday
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.