Variable wind effect is being reported across the region. Reactive hard or soft wind slabs may be found depending on where you are riding.
Weather Forecast
A descending artic front is going to dominate the weather for the next few days with a cooling and clearing trend. Friday will be mainly cloudy with isolated flurries in the morning. Saturday and Sunday will be mainly sunny and dry. Winds are expected to be light from the west throughout the forecast period with the freezing level hanging out at valley floor.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported recently.
Snowpack Summary
The Avalanche Canada field team has been finding variable conditions across the region. In the east of the region the snow surface is widely wind affected with thin but stiff wind slabs in lee features at treeline and in the alpine. In areas that have seen less wind (a good indicator would snow still hanging on the trees) these wind slabs may be softer, deeper and sitting on a layer of surface hoar about 45cm down. In either case snow pit tests in wind loaded features show these slabs are failing under moderate loads and can propagate over wide distances. At lower elevations a skiff of new snow may be covering a layer of recently buried surface hoar. The early December crust can be found down around 60cm and is thought to be capping any deeper weaknesses.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.