Storm slabs continue to develop with each load of new snow. Deep pockets of wind transported snow may exist at higher elevations.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Another pulse of Pacific moisture should bring 10-20 cm to treeline elevations by Monday morning combined with moderate southwest winds and freezing levels around 500 metres. Convective flurries during the day Monday with periods of broken skies. Another 5-8 cm by Tuesday morning with light winds. Another pulse of cool moist air moving across the region on Wednesday should bring 10-20 cm.
Avalanche Summary
Soft new storm slabs releasing up to size 2.0 and new cornices releasing naturally to size 1.5 at Whistler.
Snowpack Summary
Another 30 cm of new snow on Sunday morning, continues to add to the developing storm slabs. Cool temperatures down to around 400 metres has resulted in dry snow at all but the lower BTL elevations. Strong winds overnight in the alpine created deep pockets of wind transported snow that were reported to be easy to trigger. There may be a slight change in the hardness of the snow down about 60-80 cm due to temperature changes of individual snowfalls. This may be the most likely depth for shears in snowpack tests. The December 8th crust is down about 120 cm and has been reported to be well bonded. The storm snow is the biggest problem at this time. It may be difficult to forecast when the incremental storm amounts combine to create enough loading over a weakness to result in large avalanches.
triley,
Avalanche Canada
