Regions
South Coast Inland.
Keep an eye out for wind slabs in lee terrain. As the temperatures rise through the day, the likelihood of loose wet avalanches will increase the snowpack warms, especially in areas with fresh snow.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY NIGHT: Mainly cloudy / southwest wind, 10-25 km/h / alpine temperature -6 C / freezing level dropping to valley bottomMONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud and isolated flurries, trace to 10 cm accumulation / north-northeast wind, 10-20 km/h / alpine temperature -2 C / freezing level 1700 mTUESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud near the Duffey; scattered flurries with 10 cm accumulation near the Coquihalla / west wind, 10-20 km/h / alpine temperature -2 C / freezing level 1800 mWEDNESDAY: Flurries, 10 cm snow / southwest wind, 15 gusting to 35 km/h / alpine temperature -4 C / freezing level 1600 m
Avalanche Summary
On Saturday, small wind slab pockets were reactive to skiers in cross-loaded features at treeline near the Duffey.The likelihood of triggering loose wet avalanches will increase on if the sun shines, especially in areas with fresh snow.
Snowpack Summary
Snowfall over the weekend has been redistributed by wind at treeline elevations and above forming wind slabs at ridgetop and in lee terrain. The snow overlies recent storm snow on high-elevation northerly aspects and a melt-freeze crust elsewhere. Snow is melting rapidly at lower elevations.
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.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.