Regions
Northwest Inland.
This forecast was created using limited field data. If you've been out in the mountains, please share what you've observed through the Mountain Information Network. For details, check-out: http://www.avalanche.ca/news/VMgrmyUAAJQpmL6o/min-how-to
Confidence
Fair - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
Expect a mix of sun and cloud for the forecast period with light flurries possible on Monday evening. Winds should remain generally light with daytime freezing levels sitting at about 1500m.
Avalanche Summary
Wind slab triggering may be possible over the weekend. Loose wet avalanche to size 2 were also observed in steep, below treeline terrain. Forecast sunny breaks may promote ongoing loose wet avalanche activity.
Snowpack Summary
Light accumulations from Friday may now exist as a soft wind slab in high elevation lee terrain. The new snow overlies older wind slabs, crusts and wind-scoured surfaces. Weaknesses buried in the upper snowpack may include hard crusts and/or weak facet crystals. At the base of the snowpack, weak facets may be found. Cornices are large and potentially fragile. Below treeline, the snow is in a spring melt-freeze cycle.
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.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.