Variable wind effect is being reported across the region. Reactive hard or soft wind slabs may be found depending on where you are riding.
Confidence
Moderate - The weather pattern is stable
Weather Forecast
A descending artic front is going to dominate the weather for the next few days with a cooling and clearing trend. A mix of sun and cloud with mainly dry conditions are expected. Winds are forecast to be light westerlies the period with the freezing level hanging out at valley floor although a weak inversion may develop at upper elevations
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches have been reported recently although several large avalanche were reported from around Fernie on thursday failing on a layer of surface hoar.
Snowpack Summary
The Avalanche Canada field team has been finding variable conditions across the region this week. Up to 10cm of new snow has fallen burying a layer of surface hoar in sheltered features. In the east of the region the snow surface is now 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 and deeper and the surface hoar may be buried as deep as 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. The early December crust can be found down around 60cm.
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.