South Coast Inland

One last shot of snow and wind Thursday night may form shallow wind slabs at upper elevations. Keep a close eye on the effects of the strong sun Friday, it could initiate natural avalanche activity very quickly.

Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Friday

There is potential for a few centimeters of snow on Friday, and then we move into a high and dry period. No significant precipitation is expected for the foreseeable future. FRIDAY: Scattered cloud cover in the morning, cloud building throughout the day, freezing level rising to around 900 m, light east/northeast wind, 1 to 10 cm of snow possible. SATURDAY: Scattered cloud cover, freezing level rising to around 1200 m, light variable wind, no precipitation expected.SUNDAY: A few clouds, freezing level rising to around 1300 m, light west/northwest wind, no precipitation expected.

On Wednesday a natural size 1 wind slab was reported from an east facing feature at 1950 m. Isolated soft wind slabs were also being observed on steep convexities.Several small wind slab avalanches 15 to 25 cm in depth were susceptible to ski cutting Tuesday on north, northeast and east facing features between 1800 and 2000 m.Wind out of the southwest and west picked up on Monday forming very soft wind slabs to size 2 that were reactive to skier traffic.

The region picked up 5 to 10 cm of snow Wednesday night which adds to the 20 to 50 cm that fell over the weekend. Wind over the last few days out of the south, southwest and west formed widespread wind slabs, but these wind slabs are becoming more stubborn and somewhat resistent to human triggering. The February 23 weak layer is now down 30 to 70 cm below the surface. This interface consists of wind hardened snow, facets, a sun crust on solar aspects and surface hoar that is present at and below treeline. Compression tests preformed Wednesday continue to show planar results at this interface. In the southern portion of the region a widespread crust is down 40 to 80 cm below the surface. Well-consolidated snow exists below the crust.Variable winds in the past month have created cornices on many alpine ridgelines. They will become touchier as they grow in size, as temperatures rise, and as the strong late-winter sun shines down upon them on clear days.