Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
Wind has redistributed recent snowfall. The deepest and most reactive deposits will be around ridgetop and in lee terrain.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy / southwest wind, 10-30 km/h / alpine temperature -2 C / freezing level 1300 mMONDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries, 5-10 cm accumulation / south wind, 15-35 km/h / alpine temperature -1 C / freezing level 1800 mTUESDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, 10 cm accumulation / north wind, 20-35 km/h / alpine temperature -2 C / freezing level 1900 mWEDNESDAY: Cloudy with sun and scattered flurries, 10 cm accumulation / west-northwest wind 10-25 km/h / alpine temperature -1 C / freezing level 1700 m
Avalanche Summary
On Saturday, explosives triggered small (size 1-1.5) storm slab avalanches up to 30 cm deep. Skier traffic triggered small pockets of storm snow with the deepest (up to 40 cm) and most reactive deposits in specific lee terrain.Numerous small loose wet avalanches were observed on Friday during daytime warming. Continuing with the spring theme, the likelihood of triggering loose wet avalanches will increase if the sun shines, especially in areas with fresh snow.
Snowpack Summary
Around 20 cm snowfall over the weekend and continuing flurries are being redistributed by southwesterly winds. Slabs have formed in lee features at upper treeline and alpine elevations. The recent snow overlies a melt-freeze crust or wet snow; below 1500 m the snowpack is wet and rapidly melting.
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.