Uncertainty exists around reactivity of buried weak layers. Use careful route-finding and stick to low-consequence slopes away from overhead hazard.
Wind slabs may linger near ridge crests and rollovers. Recent winds have switched from east to southwest, so watch for slabs on all aspects and expect locally variable conditions.
Buried persistent weak layers have produced large, widely propagating avalanches in recent days, and give easy results in snowpack tests. They remain triggerable by riders.
On Monday, explosive control work in the Bulkley area produced widely propagating slab avalanches size 2 to 3, some of which involved buried weak layers.
Our field team reported size 2 natural wind slab avalanches in the Telkwas on Tuesday and Babines on Wednesday. They also observed easy propagating snowpack test results on the February layer.
Looking forward, human triggering of wind affected snow and persistent weak layers remains possible.
Recent storm snow has been wind affected in exposed terrain. South-facing slopes and low elevations hold a surface crust.
A layer of facets, surface hoar and/or a crust formed during the February drought, are buried 30 to 50 cm deep and give easy results in snowpack tests.
Deeper in the snowpack, a weak layer of facets and a crust from early December can be found. This layer appears to be dormant but remains an isolated concern.
Wednesday night
Mostly clear. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.
Thursday
A mix of sun and cloud. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.
Friday
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow above 1200m, light rain below. 60 to 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
