Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather is uncertain

Friday night and Saturday: The upper trough that left some light precipitations over some parts of the region gives way to a surface ridge of high pressure that will bring back temperatures down to seasonal norm (-5 C in the alpine), scattered to few cloud cover and moderate West and South West winds. Another system arrives later during the day covering up the sky gradually and starting to give earlier and more pronounced precipitation on the Western part of the region. Sunday: Light to moderate precipitation is associated with the frontal system, light Southwest winds and similar temperatures. Monday: More light precipitation could fall on the region and winds staying light from the West and temperatures cooling slightly (-8 C).

Numerous loose moist avalanches up to size 1.5 were reported on South and West steep slopes due to solar radiation and warmth.

A variety of surfaces exist on the snowpack including windslabs that were formed by recent W and SW winds below ridgetops on lee aspects, 15-20 cm of facets due to overnight cooling, surface hoar on shaded aspects at treeline and below treeline and a sun crust on solar aspects. The forecasted moderate Westerly winds and the few new cms of snow could make the windslabs grow further slightly. A generally settled upper snowpack overlies the late November surface hoar, buried down 115-130 cm. This layer seems particularly reactive in the Rossland Range and in the central part of the region. A deeply buried crust/facet layer near the base of the snowpack is considered dormant. Although unlikely, there is a lingering possibility of triggering a persistent slab in isolated areas.