Avalanche Forecast

Moderate

A dominant ridge of high pressure brings light northerly winds, sun and increasingly mild temperatures in the alpine. Below about 1700 m, expect valley cloud, flurries and cold temperatures. Alpine temperatures are expected to reach 0 degrees by Friday afternoon.For more details check out https://avalanche.ca/weather.

On Monday, a skier triggered a size 1 soft slab on a NW aspect and a size 2 glide slab release was observed at 1200 m. On Tuesday, several size 1 wind slabs were ski cut on SE through SW aspects in the alpine. This were typically soft slabs 5-30 cm thick. Progressive warming in the alpine with ongoing sunny conditions should result in ongoing loose natural avalanches from south-facing slopes and by the weekend may create slab properties within the recent storm snow.

Hard and soft wind slabs may be found on any recently wind-affected terrain, especially at alpine and treeline elevations. 40-70 cm recent dry snowfall overlies a mid- and lower snowpack which are reportedly well settled. There may be some storm snow interfaces to watch in specific areas. Storm slab properties may also change as the alpine gets some sun and temperatures rise. The early December weak layer (about a metre down) is now hard to find and unlikely to be triggered, except with a very heavy trigger. At the base of the snowpack, on high north aspects, basal facets overlie glacial ice.