Strong winds are expected to maintain touchy conditions on Monday. Keep seeking out supported lines in sheltered areas while the storm snow settles and bonds.
Weather Forecast
Monday: A mix of sun and cloud. Strong southwest winds. Freezing level to 1400 metres with alpine high temperatures around -6.Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud with increasing cloud and flurries beginning in the afternoon. Strong to extreme west winds. Freezing level to 1900 metres after a poor overnight refreeze. Alpine high temperatures around -1.Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud with continuingflurries and a trace to 5 cm of new snow. Moderate northwest winds. Freezing level to 1600 metres with alpine high temperatures around -5.
Avalanche Summary
Reports from Saturday in the Castle area showed a couple of storm slabs that released to size 1.5 and 2. The smaller avalanche occurred naturally while the size 2 was explosives-triggered.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 35 cm of new snow fell over the region over the past few days. This new snow was initially redistributed by strong easterly winds in the beginning of the storm before winds switched to the southwest. As a result, and with southwest winds forecast to increase again, wind slabs are now likely to be found on a variety of aspects. The recent snow will take some time to form a reliable bond to the old snow surface, which consist of crusts up to 2100 metres and dry snow or surface hoar on north aspects above 2100 m. Recent snowpack testing on the March 15th surface hoar interface (down 20-40 cm on sheltered north aspects) has shown no significant results in the Barnes area. Below this interface the mid-pack is is well consolidated. Deeper in the snowpack (50-80 cm down) a surface hoar buried in mid-February may exist. This interface is considered dormant. Digging towards the bottom of the snowpack you'll find a combination of crusts and facets that are reportedly widespread.
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.