The sun came out today yet the air remained relatively cold. Ice climbs are looking good but watch the sun's impact on slopes above. Solar energy will increase possibility of activity incrementally increasing the danger rating in the afternoons.
Weather Forecast
Wednesday to Thursday will be variable cloud, seasonal temperatures with cold nights, light flurries, and predominately light W winds. Friday may bring 13mm of precipitation, slight warming trend, and 50km/hr SW winds at 1500m and 100km/hr winds at 3000m. The winds could be moving into the zone starting Thursday.
Snowpack Summary
Saturday's 20cm of snow has settled down to 10cm and developed into a thin windslab depending on alpine and treeline wind patterns. Many spots have been stripped down to previous sustrugi and windslab surfaces with windpressed pockets in between. Its looking like it was prior to the storm. Below treeline weak facets dominate.
Avalanche Summary
No new naturals were noted Monday and visibility was good. Visibility was excellent for Tuesday's Icefields patrol. Observed only a couple size 1.5 very steep loose avalanches @ 2600m appearing to be solar triggered. One size 2 thin slab was noted at 2700m E aspect on a very steep unsupported feature. They appear to be stopping where angle changes.
Confidence
The weather pattern is stable on Wednesday
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.