Regions
Northwest Inland.
Confidence
Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Tuesday
Weather Forecast
Overnight and Tuesday: Light snow combined with light Southerly winds overnight becoming strong Southerly during the day. Expect 5-8 cms of new snow with freezing level at valley bottom.Wednesday: Unsettled weather bringing cloud and very light precipitation with moderate Westerly winds.Thursday: Moderate precipitation and moderate Southerly winds as the next pulse of moisture moves in from the coast.
Avalanche Summary
One report of a skier accidental size 1.5 from an East aspect in Boulder creek that released in some fresh wind slab that was about 20 cms deep and ran about 150 metres.
Snowpack Summary
Thin new wind slabs are developing due to West-Northwest winds. These wind slabs may be sitting above recently developed surface hoar and surface facets in area where they were not stripped by the wind. Strong solar radiation may have developed sun crusts on solar aspects up to about 2000 metres. The mid pack is reported to be well settled without any layers of concern. Depth hoar and facets are reported near the ground in areas with a thin snow pack.
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.