Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Wind effect is extremely variable

High overcast tonight with moderate northeast winds and alpine lows close to -20. Cloud developing on Friday as the winds become strong from the southeast. Expect some light flurries by evening. Overcast and continued cold on Saturday with moderate southwest winds and a few cm of new snow. Cold and overcast with moderate westerly winds on Sunday.

No new reports of avalanches from this region. I suspect that fragile new cornice growth and pockets of fresh wind-slab may be easy to trigger with light additional loads.

In most areas there is 30-50 cm of recent storm snow that has stayed unconsolidated except where it has been transported into wind slabs. The surface snow has been facetting due to the cold temperatures, and some surface hoar has been developing in isolated areas. The mid-pack has been reported to be well settled above above a crust that was buried in mid-november. This crust may be buried less than a metre to close to 2 metres deep, depending on elevation and previous exposure to winds. Snowpack tests on the crust have shown variable results from sudden and planar to no result. Professionals continue to monitor this crust and are watching for facet development above and below that may increase reactivity. The basal layers of the snowpack continue to be reported to be moist in some of the deeper snowpack areas of the region.