Increasing avalanche danger today with continued loading from storm snow and wind loading.
Weather Forecast
A Pacific storm is traveling through the province today. The forecast calls for flurries with snowfall around 12cm. Ridge winds will be in the moderate to strong SW. Freezing level up to 1600m. Continued precipitation with another 10cm by Saturday evening.
Snowpack Summary
Another 10cm storm snow overnight brings us to ~20cm in the last 24hrs. Warm temps and mod-strong S-SW winds will contribute to forming touchy storm slabs over the Jan 16 interface of surface hoar. Added load to the persistent weak layers Jan 4th, Dec 15 surface hoar may reawaken them. Both layers are producing sudden planar results in field tests.
Avalanche Summary
Skier remote from 20m size 1 slide reported at Balu Pass along with other size 1 skier triggered slides. These avalanches were limited to yesterday's storm snow. A couple slides recorded on the highway corridor to size 2.5.
Confidence
Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain
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.
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.