Regions
Northwest Inland.
Limited field observations and reports exist from this region. Conditions may be variable. It is important to be familiar with the snowpack and avalanche problems that may exist in your local mountains.
Confidence
Poor - Due to limited field observations for the entire period
Weather Forecast
The recent weather pattern continues, with a very persistent deep low off the coast driving a moist, mild SW flow mostly over the southern parts of the province. In the North the arctic air will being to retreat on Sunday. Light accumulations are expected to continue accompanied by light-moderate SW winds. Seasonal normal temperatures will exist.Sunday: Fzlvl’s 500 m, snow amounts up to 5 cm, ridgetop winds SE 25 km/hr, alpine temps -6.Monday: Fzlvl’s surface, snow amounts near 5 cm, ridgetop winds SE 20 km/hr, alpine temps -6.Tuesday: Fzlvl’s 200 m, snow amounts up to 20 cm, ridgetop winds E 30 km/hr, and alpine temps -8.
Avalanche Summary
No new natural avalanches have been reported. Currently, information is extremely sparse for this region. If you have been out exploring the backcountry and enjoying the snow, please share your snowpack and /or avalanche observations with us.Email info to forecaster.ca.
Snowpack Summary
Storm slab and wind slab instabilities exist at treeline and in alpine locations. They may be touchy to rider triggers; especially on leeward slopes and behind terrain features where pockets of wind slab easily build. At treeline depths in the southern part of the region range between 70 – 125 cm, but highly variable in the alpine with deep wind drifts and scoured slopes in exposed areas. Generally, the mid-pack is gaining strength and possibly even bridging the persistent weakness below.Digging down deeper is the early November facet/crust persistent layer. This crust sits near the base of the snowpack down 70-110 cm. Test results on this layer earlier this week produced moderate (drops) I have no current obs to suggest the snow above or below this interface is gaining strength, or weakening. In most areas, because this weakness is located near the ground, any associated avalanche activity will likely be limited to slopes with smooth ground cover.
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.
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.