Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
Wind effect is the critical factor. The safest, best riding may be in lower elevation terrain sheltered from the wind.
Confidence
Moderate - Wind effect is extremely variable
Weather Forecast
The weather pattern is changing as the recent dominating arctic airmass slowly shifts south allowing a more regular pattern of Pacific frontal systems in.Saturday/ Sunday/ Monday: Mix of sun and cloud with an alpine temperatures near -6 and freezing levels at 700 m. Ridgetop winds light from the West. Check out the full synopsis here: https://avalanche.ca/weather/forecast
Avalanche Summary
On Thursday, a size 2 slab avalanche was triggered from a heavy load of snow by machinery. The avalanche ran on the weak basal facets at ground level from a south aspect around 1700m. It did take a large load to trigger this avalanche, however; it may be a good indication of what a cornice failure may do or significant change to the snowpack like warming. Something to be kept on your radar as we transition into a warmer, wetter period next week.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 20 cm of recent snow has buried a plethora of old snow surface. This interface consists of wind scoured surfaces and old wind slabs, widespread near surface faceting (sugary snow), surface hoar in sheltered locations, and/or a breakable sun crust on steep solar aspects. Recent moderate to strong winds from all directions has redistributed some of this new snow into reactive wind slabs on a variety of aspects. Below this exists a couple of old freezing rain crusts from late-December, depending on your location. The mid-December surface hoar/ facet layer typically sits down 40-70 cm. This layer is still reactive to some snowpack tests in some areas but is currently considered to be dormant or inactive. However; once the snowpack starts to see a big change, like warming then the likelihood of triggering may increase.
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.