Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
A thin cover of new snow now overlies a variety of old surfaces depending on aspect and elevation. As more snow starts to accumulate, investigate how well it's bonding to the old surface before committing yourself.
Confidence
Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Weather Forecast
SATURDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, flurries. Accumulation trace. Ridge wind light from the northwest. Temperature -6. Freezing level 500 m.SUNDAY: Cloudy, flurries. Accumulation 5-10 cm. Ridge wind moderate from the southwest. Temperature -6. Freezing level 600 m.MONDAY: Mostly cloudy, flurries. Accumulation trace. Ridge wind moderate from the west. Temperature -3. Freezing level 900 m.
Avalanche Summary
There have been no reports of avalanche activity since last weekend when small, loose, dry avalanches were observed from skier traffic in steep terrain on Saturday.
Snowpack Summary
Approximately 5 cm of new snow has fallen on a variety of old snow surfaces dependent on aspect and elevation. On solar aspects a thin melt-freeze crust has been buried. On northerly aspects, feathery, surface hoar crystals (10-30 mm in length) have been buried below treeline as well as protected areas at treeline. In the alpine the old surface consisted of sugary snow (facets) and hard, wind scoured snow. Below the snow surface the upper snowpack is well settled and overlies a series of late-November crusts which is now buried 20-50 cm and is 15-25 cm thick. Recent snowpack tests have produced hard, resistant compression test results within the layers of this crust. Below the crust layer the lower snowpack is moist and well settled.
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.