Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Thursday

Wednesday: Starting off clear but clouds developing mid-morning. Light snowfall in the afternoon, with around 5 cm expected. Strong southwest winds. Thursday: Clearing briefly before another weak frontal system moves in bringing 5-10 cm starting late in the day. Freezing levels will rise to around 1100 m. Friday: Models are in disagreement, but moderate snowfall, strong southwest winds and freezing levels around 800 m is the most likely scenario at this time.

Avalanches up to size 2.5 have been reported from the highways corridors in steep gullies in response to new snow that sluffs easily and is able to pick up mass in steep terrain. A recent large cornice release near Terrace did not release a slab on the slope below.

Variable winds have redistributed the small amount of new snow into isolated pockets of wind slab behind terrain features on a variety of aspects in the alpine. Approximately 5-10 cm of new snow at treeline and above has buried a surface hoar layer (crystal size reported to be 1-4 mm) lying on old surfaces comprising crusts and variable wind slabs. The crusts formed in response to successive melt-freeze cycles and are harder and thicker the lower in elevation you go. The wind slabs were deposited on a variety of aspects and are becoming increasingly stubborn and difficult to trigger. Deeper within the snowpack, a facet layer buried around Jan 20th is the greatest concern. This layer lies approximately 110-140 cm below the surface and still exhibits hard, sudden planar results in isolated snowpack tests.