Cranking winds and new snow will likely build fresh storm and wind slabs that may be touchy to rider triggers.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Sunday
Weather Forecast
A series of Pacific frontal systems will hit the Interior region starting tonight and continue through next week. Each system will be a bit stronger bringing moderate to heavy snow amounts and strong winds. Sunday: Cloudy, alpine temperatures -14 with West winds 40-55 km/h. New snow 10-20 cm.Monday: Snow 15-25 cm with alpine temperatures near -12 and ridgetop winds West 50-70 km/h.Tuesday: A trace of new snow with alpine temperatures -11 and ridgetop winds West 30-45 km/h.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanche reports from Friday. With forecast strong winds and storm snow, fresh storm slabs may be triggered by light loads (skiers, sledders).
Snowpack Summary
Continued cold temperatures have left us with a variety of snow surfaces including facets at all elevations and some surface hoar in sheltered locations. Wind slabs exist in lee terrain at treeline and in the alpine. The mid-November crust is buried down 100-180 cm and produces variable results in snowpack tests. Moderate results may be more likely in shallower snowpack areas, and deeper snowpack areas may be more likely to show no results on this layer. Professionals continue to monitor the crust for facet (sugary snow crystals) development that may provide a weak layer above a hard sliding surface in the future.
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.