Watch for pockets of wind slab at upper elevations from recent northerly winds. These slabs may be in atypical areas due to reverse-loading and are particularly reactive on southern aspects where they overlie a crust.
Pockets of stubborn wind slabs are found at higher elevations. Recent winds have varied creating widespread wind affect at higher elevations throughout the region. Watch for reverse loading and cross-loading in unusual spots.
On Sunday, a few natural loose dry avalanches were reported up to size 1.5 in steep terrain.
On Saturday, explosives control produced wind slab avalanches to size 2 on southern aspects. Several size 1 wind slab avalanches, triggered by skier traffic, were reported throughout the region. A few size 1 natural loose dry avalanches were observed in steep terrain.
Thank's for all the MIN's! Please continue to share any observations or photos on the Mountain Information Network.
10-20 cm of snow has been redistributed by variable winds at alpine and treeline elevations. On southerly aspects, snow sits above a melt-freeze crust while on northerly aspects it overlies previously wind-affected surfaces.
Several weak layers are found mid-snowpack. A surface hoar layer from early January is found down 40-80 cm. Observations suggest that this layer is slowly rounding. If preserved it would be found in sheltered and shaded terrain features.
A thick melt freeze crust from Boxing Day is buried 70-100 cm deep. This layer is helping to cap lower snowpack weaknesses but at higher elevations, this crust is thinner and less supportive.
The lower snowpack contains weak and facetted grains. Professionals continue to monitor weak layers in the snowpack however they are not active avalanche problems at this time. Avoid shallow, rocky areas where snowpack transitions from thick to thin and triggering weak layers is more likely.
Monday Night
Increasing cloud with scattered flurries, 2-5 cm accumulation. Moderate northwesterly ridgetop winds occasionally gusting 60 km/h. Alpine low of -15°C.
Tuesday
Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries, trace accumulation. Westerley ridgetop winds 40 km/h. Alpine high of -10°C.
Wednesday
A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries, 2 cm accumulation. Trace accumulations of snowfall. Light westerly ridgetop winds occasionally gusting 40 km/h. Alpine high of -8°C.
Thursday
A mix of sun and cloud. Light southwesterly ridgetop winds occasionally gusting 40 km/h. Alpine high of -5°C. Freezing levels 600 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
