All forecasts point to a steady rise in temperature over the week-end. Keep this in mind as you travel in the field. Triggering an avalanche is much more likely as temps climb near (or above) zero. Front ranges are more likely to see the high temps.
Confidence
Fair - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
Weather Forecast
Forecasted snow continues to be less and less. We are expecting some flurries, but accumulation will be negligible. Winds continue to flow out of the SW at moderate values (40km/h). The temperatures will moderate with this flow. We can expect an afternoon high of 0 on the Spray tomorrow. Alpine highs will hit -3. The lower valleys will see above 0 temps.
Avalanche Summary
nothing was noted today
Snowpack Summary
Not a lot of change lately. Below treeline, the snowpack has no real structure. The depth is there, but there is no support for skiing or snowshoeing. Expect to walk on the ground. It isn't until the treeline elevations are reached that it changes. 2300m and higher is where the wind has had a chance to create slabs. The buried slabs vary in density depending on aspect and how open the terrain is. Open areas will have a denser slab. The layers to watch continue to be the Nov 24th facets and the Nov 6 crust. At 2300m these average a depth of 60 and 80 respectively.
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.
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.