Weather forecasts have not been reliable in predicting snowfall and temps recently. Watch for, and carefully evaluate changes happening over the day.
Weather Forecast
Cloudy with clear periods and isolated flurries overnight, though really only a trace of new expected. Good cooling overnight. Wake up to scattered clouds and glorious sunshine with increasing clouds over the day. Light winds and freezing level rising at 2000m (roadside at Parkers or TL in the Bald hills).
Snowpack Summary
New windslab on open slopes above 2400m. Dryer surface snow on polar aspects over a solid mid-pack bridging the weak base above 2000m. The base is a combination of weak facets and depth hoar mixed around a Nov rain crust. A consistent melt-freeze cycle is occurring below tree line.
Avalanche Summary
Several large windslab avalanches around 2400 m on x-loaded gulley features and steep lee slopes observed south of Icefields on Friday. Nothing new reported or observed on Saturday.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
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.
Deep Persistent Slabs
Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.