Cold temperatures dominate the region. Overhead hazards like hanging ice daggers will be extremely brittle and could fall without notice.
Weather Forecast
Cold temperatures will continue, it's time to accept it... winter is actually here. On the up side, it will be sunshine and lollypops for the next few days as the north winds shift west into Monday and the temps will rise painfully slow over the week.
Snowpack Summary
Total snowfall amount for this storm is 115cm and that tapers off south of Parkers Ridge. There appears to be a mid-pack weakness; likely facets, that is the most active. The entire year's snowpack is sitting over a weak base of rain crust and facets.
Avalanche Summary
An extensive avalanche cycle occurred throughout the forecast area from Maligne south to Mt Wilson up to size 3.5. Heli-controlled bombing down the 93 north highway corridor got mixed results up to sz 2.5 with numerous sympathetic releases and buried the road at Parkers Ridge and spilled over the cliffs at Mt. Cirrus (Weeping Wall).
Confidence
The weather pattern is stable
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.
Loose Dry
Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.