There are still weak layers in the snowpack to be reckoned with. Carefully assess terrain during this new snow cycle.
Confidence
Fair - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
Weather Forecast
A fast moving cold front will arrive on the coast on Thursday afternoon bringing strong southwest winds and precipitation to the Inland region for Thursday evening and early Friday. The region may see 10 to 20cm of snow at upper elevations. Saturday there will be a small break in the weather with another 10 to 20cm on Sunday. Freezing levels will fluctuate between 800 to 1500 metres as the storm moves through.
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanches have been reported.
Snowpack Summary
A thick crust is the most dominant feature in the snowpack above 1500 metres with breakable crust below that. There are a variety of layers previously mentioned in snowpack discussions, but unless there is an extreme weather event, they are likely to remain out of the picture . Some areas have reported 5cm of soft snow in sheltered areas above 1800metres, and one reporting party has observed 8mm surface hoar development on North aspects up to ridge tops. One operator reported that the Jan. 4th surface hoar that may now be buried by as much as 20 to 40 cm.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.