Wind slabs are likely to be encountered at upper elevations and likely remain sensitive to human triggering, especially in lee features. Midday sun is likely to initiate loose wet avalanche activity in the new snow too.
Weather Forecast
A low pressure centre over the Gulf of Alaska continues to produce weak systems that impact the Northwest. Wednesdays system has potential to deliver a bit of snow to the Cariboos, but it is difficult to pin down accurate snowfall amounts at this time, stay tuned for more details.MONDAY NIGHT: Freezing level around 1000 m, light variable wind, trace of snow possible.TUESDAY: Scattered cloud cover in the morning, clear around lunch time with cloud building back in the late afternoon, freezing level around 1900 m, moderate northwest wind, trace of snow possible. WEDNESDAY: Broken cloud cover, freezing level around 1500 m, light southwest wind, 2 to 6 cm of snow possibleTHURSDAY: Broken cloud cover, freezing level around 1500 m, light northerly wind, trace of snow possible.
Avalanche Summary
On Sunday wind slabs to size 2 released naturally and were also susceptible to human triggering on north, northeast and east facing terrain between 1900 and 2200 m.On Saturday, there was a report of a human triggered size 1.5 wind slab avalanche on a northeast aspect at 2600 m.
Snowpack Summary
15-25 cm of recent storm snow in the alpine and at treeline sits on a melt-freeze crust on all aspects except for north slopes above 1800 m, where it sits on dry snow. Snow is disappearing rapidly at lower elevations.
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.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.