Challenging travel conditions remain in the wake of last week's rainstorm.
Weather Forecast
Cloudy skies with isolated flurries and trace amounts of accumulation. Freezing level at 1300m and ridge winds SW 25-45Km/h. A moisture laden system will track inland Sunday bringing strong SW winds and 60mm of precipitation to Rogers Pass by Tuesday afternoon. Freezing levels are expected to rise to 1900m, meaning 60mm of rain below tree line.
Snowpack Summary
20cm of dry snow is beginning to bond to a breakable crust. Below the November 23 crust sits a weak rain-saturated snowpack. If you take your skis off, you'll likely be standing in a hole up to your waste. Strong winds during the last storm created isolated pockets of wind slab in the alpine on northerly features. October 31 crust is down 100cm.
Avalanche Summary
Natural avalanche activity has dropped off since the recent rain storm.
Confidence
Freezing levels are uncertain
Problems
Wet Slabs
Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.
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.