Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
Confidence
Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain on Friday
Weather Forecast
Synopsis: A storm impacts this region late on Friday.Thursday: Mostly dry with a chance of flurries. Winds light southwesterly. Freezing level around 1000 m.Friday: 10-20 cm new snow is expected. Strong southwesterly winds to 60 km/h at ridgetop. Freezing level 1000 m.Saturday: Light snow in the morning, dry in the afternoon. Winds becoming light northwesterly. Freezing level 800 m.
Avalanche Summary
Loose snow avalanches have been reported in steep terrain.
Snowpack Summary
10-25 cm of recent snow overlies a pair of surface hoar layers buried mid February (Feb 12th and Feb 16th). The burial depth of these layers is still shallow, and for the most part the snow above is still light. However, there may be isolated slopes where the wind has blown the new snow into wind-stiffened deposits sufficiently deep to create a potentially harmful slide. Additionally, the well-developed crystals associated with these interfaces indicate they may stay with us for a while and present bigger problems as they become more deeply buried. Two previous buried surface hoar/facet/sun crust layers approximately 30 and 50 cm below the surface (Feb 4th and Jan 23, respectively) are still being tracked by professionals but have not been reactive recently. These layers may be worth investigating on a safe, representative adjacent slope if you are considering riding in aggressive terrain.
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.