Avalanche Forecast

Moderate

No new observations today due to limited visibility. Evidence of a widespread avalanche cycle on all aspects in the alpine was observed on Thursday. Mostly size 2-3 and up to size 4. Many of these avalanches started as wind slabs and stepped down to the deep persistent facet layer. Most notably the main Buck Lake slide path and the Churchill South slide path ran into the ski lines.  

This recent cycle is evidence that we are at or near the tipping point for the deep persistent layer.

Don't forget to post avalanche observations to the MIN.

Recent cold temperatures have faceted the upper snowpack allowing strong- extreme winds to redistribute recent snow. Ridgetop has been scoured in most locations with pockets of wind slab lingering in the alpine and at treeline.

In sheltered locations, 40 cm of settled snow sits on top of a generally weak mid and lower snowpack with facets and depth hoar at the base. The height of snow is variable from 60 to 160cm.

Sunday

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries.

Precipitation: Trace.

Alpine temperature: High -10 °C.

Ridge wind southwest: 20 km/h gusting to 45 km/h.

Monday

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries.

Precipitation: Trace.

Alpine temperature: Low -17 °C, High -14 °C.

Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 35 km/h.

Tuesday

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries.

Precipitation: Trace.

Alpine temperature: Low -23 °C, High -14 °C.

Ridge wind east: 10-20 km/h.

Detailed weather forecasts from Avalanche Canada: https://www.avalanche.ca/weather/forecast

• Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind exposed terrain.
• If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.