Confidence
Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain
Weather Forecast
This region should remain dry from Sunday through Tuesday. Freezing levels will be around 1800 m on Sunday, with an overnight freeze expected on Sunday night. On Monday, freezing levels will go to around 2500 m and on Tuesday they may push beyond 3000 m. Little overnight freeze is expected for Monday night as high cloud will prevent the heat escaping. Winds are expected to be light southeasterly for Sunday and Monday, veering southerly on Tuesday.
Avalanche Summary
On Friday, avalanche activity was limited to mostly loose snow avalanches on south facing slopes.
Snowpack Summary
Recent snow accumulations range from 20-40 cm over the past few days. 40-80 cm of snow from the past week is sitting on a reactive weak layer over a crust. This weak layer was buried March 27th in the Interior. We've received recent reports from the field of large, destructive avalanches occurring on this layer. Remote triggering (from afar) has also been reported. This indicates the likelihood and potential sensitivity of this layer. Slopes below 1000 m continue to experience little or no overnight refreeze (recovery). The deeper early February surface hoar layers seem to have been unreactive in the short term but still remain a concern with very heavy triggers such as a cornice fall, or step down avalanches.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.