West wind will redistribute storm snow into reactive slabs on east terrain. Continuously assess for wind slab .
The best riding will be on slopes that have soft snow without slab properties.
Persistent weak layers are unlikely to be triggered where they are capped by a thick crust. Triggering remains possible in upper treeline and in the alpine where a substantial crust may not be present.
Up to 40 cm of new storm snow has formed storm slabs at all elevations.
AS westerly wind increases storm snow will be redistributed on to east facing terrain, forming larger and more reactive slabs.
Numerous storm slabs up to size 2 were observed on Friday. These avalanches were generally triggered at treeline and above and on all aspects. Triggers included natural, skier controlled and skier accidental.
On Thursday a few persistent slab avalanches, up to size 3 were observed. These avalanches released in the alpine and at upper treeline elevations, likely where the December 16 crust was thin or breakable.
20 to 50 cm of new storm snow has been redistributed by south and west wind into deeper deposits on north and east aspects.
In the Monashees a thin crust may be just below the surface at low elevations.
60 to 110 cm of settling snow sits over a prominent crust formed in mid-December that extends up to 2300 m. Where this crust is thick and supportive, it caps a few weak layers from December and November, making them difficult to trigger.
Saturday Night
Clear skies. 20 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -17 °C.
Sunday
Mostly sunny. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 20 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 2 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
