The deepest deposits of new snow, and potentially most reactive, will be found at higher elevations and in wind-loaded areas.
Confidence
Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Weather Forecast
TUESDAY NIGHT: Flurries, 10-20 cm snow. Treeline temperatures near -7C. Ridgetop winds light to moderate from the east.WEDNESDAY: Sunny with cloudy periods. Treeline temperatures near -5C. Ridgetop winds light from the east.THURSDAY: Flurries, 10 cm accumulation. Treeline temperatures around -4C, with rising freezing levels. Ridgetop winds light from the southeast.FRIDAY: Snow, 15-20 cm. Alpine temperatures near -2C. Ridgetop winds light to moderate from the southeast.
Avalanche Summary
A few small (size 1) natural avalanches and dry, loose have released with the new snowfall. Over the weekend, small size 1 wind slabs were reactive to skier traffic.
Snowpack Summary
The North Shore mountains picked up around 30 cm new snow over the past few days. Winds have begun to redistribute snowfall with deeper deposits in wind loaded areas. The new snow covers a variety of wind affected surfaces from scoured and wind-pressed to stiff wind slabs as a result of the recent extreme wind event. Widespread wind slabs developed in the alpine with pockets of soft snow in sheltered areas and lower elevations. This layer of wind-affected snow sits above a crust, old wind-pressed snow surfaces, or surface hoar in the most sheltered areas, with little reactivity. Below that, the snowpack is well-settled and strong.
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.