Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Regions
Cariboos.
The best riding right now is probably on high north aspects, which is also where the hazard is the highest. Don't let your guard down when searching for fresh powder.
Confidence
Moderate - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
We're into a stable and benign weather pattern: cooling temperatures and isolated flurries.TUESDAY: A mix of sun and cloud / Light snow flurries starting in the afternoon (5-10cm) / Light to moderate southwesterly winds / Freezing levels around 700 m.WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with light flurries / Light northerly winds / Freezing levels around 400 m. THURSDAY: Cloudy with sunny breaks / Light southerly winds / Freezing levels at valley bottom.
Avalanche Summary
On Friday there was a spooky remote-triggered Size 3 near Valemount. It was at ridge crest, upper treeline elevation on a southwest aspect. See here for this great MIN post. Since temperatures have cooled down over the weekend we've had limited reports of slab avalanches, even with cornice fall as a trigger.
Snowpack Summary
We've had little change over the weekend with only about 5-10cm new snow in most areas (20cm of low density snow near Blue River). Expect to find 15-25 cm of more recent snow blown into deep wind slabs at higher elevations. Lower down there's moist snow or supportive crust below 1700m. Settling snow (40-60cm) from last week is still bonding slowly to the previous snow surface from early February, which is now down 50-80 cm and includes a sun crust on steep sun-exposed slopes, faceted snow, as well as surface hoar on sheltered open slopes. The persistent weakness buried mid-January is now down around 80-100 cm and the surface hoar/facet weakness buried mid-December is down 100-150 cm. These deep persistent weaknesses still have the potential to wake up and become reactive with human triggers. (See MIN post above).
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.