Strong solar radiation and mild temperatures this weekend will result in elevated avalanche danger during the day, particularly on sun-exposed slopes.
Summary
Confidence
Fair - Due to limited field observations
Weather Forecast
A ridge of high pressure should maintain mostly dry and sunny conditions throughout the forecast period. There is a chance of more cloud and light precipitation on Monday if a forecast frontal system pushes a little further north. The freezing level is around 900m on Saturday and 1200-1500m on Sunday and Monday. Winds are generally light from the south.
Avalanche Summary
There are a couple reports of skier triggered Size 1-1.5 slab avalanches from immediate lee features near ridge crests. Loose dry sluffing was observed in steep terrain. There were also a few reports of cornice failures on the weekend, but most did not trigger slabs.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 25cm of new snow covers the previous surface which included a sun crust on southerly aspects, surface facets or surface hoar in cool shady areas, and pockets of wind slab in exposed terrain. Moderate southerly winds have created new wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded terrain. The mid February persistent weak layer interface, comprised of spotty surface hoar, facets and crusts, is buried 80-120 cm below the surface. No recent activity has been reported on this interface. However, recent snowpack tests have been giving hard but sudden "pop" results and indicate it is has the potential to react given the right trigger in the right place. For route selection, it should still be on your radar and is more likely to be triggered on steeper, unsupported terrain. Cornices in the area are reported to be very large and primed for natural collapse or triggering by a person.
pmarshall,
Avalanche Canada
