Wind slabs may remain triggerable on lee slopes near ridgetops; continue to avoid steep wind-loaded areas.
Verify conditions and step back if you see any signs of instability.
15 to 40 cm of recent snow combined with southerly winds likely built wind slabs on lee slopes. They may be more reactive where they also overlie a new layer of surface hoar. Continue to avoid steep wind-loaded areas.
Friday & Saturday
A few loose dry sluffs up to size 2 were observed in different parts of the region.
Thursday,
Southwest of Valemount, a small size 1 slab was remotely triggered at a distance of 80 m. The failure plane was unknown.
15 to 40 cm of recent snow may be covering a new weak layer of surface hoar or sun crust. Recent southwesterly wind may have blown that snow onto lee slopes, creating fresh wind slabs.
Below that, 20 to 60 cm of older snow is covering a melt-freeze crust that exists up to around 1900 m and on sunny aspects.
A layer of surface hoar/facets/crust from late January may be buried 60 to 80 cm. This layer seems to have gone dormant.
The remaining snowpack is well settled with no layers of concern.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy. 0 to 4 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. 0 to 4 cm of snow. 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 5 to 15 cm of snow. 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -14 °C.
Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -18 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
