New snow and wind are developing new wind slabs at higher elevations. Wind slabs may be easy to trigger where they are sitting on buried facets or surface hoar.
Confidence
Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
Weather Forecast
A weak low pressure system is slowly moving from the southern interior towards the northwest. This system is difficult to forecast for snowfall amounts. Generally there is not a lot of moisture associated with this low pressure, however some areas may receive another 10-15 cm of light dry snow overnight and Wednesday. Models do not agree with respect to freezing levels; I am siding with the high resolution model that shows freezing levels rising up to about 1300 metres on Wednesday, rising slightly on Thursday, and returning to valley bottoms by Friday. Winds are expected to be moderate from the southeast in the alpine on Wednesday, and then light easterly for the remainder of the forecast period.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches reported. Loose snow sluffing in steep terrain continues to be reported.
Snowpack Summary
Thin new windslabs have developed over a mix of old surfaces left behind after the recent inversion and clear alpine skies. These old surfaces include surface hoar, near surface facets, and possible sun crusts on steep southerly aspects. Some areas of the western Cariboos around Wells Grey are reporting variable snow depths with treeline height of snow around 150 cm. Shallow snowpack areas may have weak facetted crystals near the ground.
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.