Forecast strong winds will elevate the avalanche danger through the weekend.
Confidence
High - The weather pattern is stable
Weather Forecast
Mainly clear skies and cold temperatures, the coldest on Friday, as low as minus 25 as the arctic high continues to dominate the province. By the weekend the weather pattern will shift as the high moves to the southeast allowing several weak Pacific frontal systems to make their way to the coast. A stronger system should hit the coastal regions by Sunday, moving into the Interior Monday bringing cloudy skies, snow and strong winds at upper elevations.
Avalanche Summary
On Wednesday, a large size 3 glide crack release was reported from a steep south face at 2500 m. Besides that, natural avalanche activity has been far and few with some sluffing from steep or extreme terrain. Isolated wind slabs continue to be reactive to light loads (people) on leeward slopes, mostly size 1-2. With increased winds over the weekend, the avalanche danger may rise with new wind slab problems being the primary focus.
Snowpack Summary
Due to cold and clear conditions a variety of surface snow exists from faceted (sugary) crystals to surface hoar crystals up to 8 mm in size. Variable wind effect has created wind slabs in isolated areas at upper elevations. Watch for a recently buried layer of surface hoar down 30-40cm that may develop a poor bonding layer. The depth of the mid-November crust is also variable across the region. Reports have the crust down between 100-200 cm and snowpack tests have produced a variety of results from moderate and sudden to hard and resistant, and in some cases no result. If you dig down to the crust, watch for facets developing above and/or below. This may provide a weak layer above a smooth sliding surface in the future.
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.