Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
Storm slabs may be more reactive on leeward slopes where wind effect exists. Consider the danger rating in the alpine to be MODERATE if you do not receive 15 cm of new snow overnight.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Thursday
Weather Forecast
New snow 10-15 cm expected overnight Wednesday with light-moderate easterly winds. Thursday: New snow 5-10 cm with moderate-strong West wind and freezing levels 1600 m. Friday: New snow 5-10 cm with strong southwest winds and freezing levels 1600 m.Saturday: Snow 15-25 cm with mostly light yet strong and gusty winds at times. Freezing levels 1800 m.
Avalanche Summary
On Tuesday, reports indicated loose wet avalanche activity from steep slopes and terrain features at treeline. No new avalanche observations reported on Wednesday.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 15 cm of new snow is sitting on previous moist snow surfaces. Recent winds from the southeast and southwest have sifted the new snow, forming isolated wind slabs in leeward terrain features and slopes. With freezing levels rising, surface snow will likely become moist through the day. Up to 40 cm of snow that fell last weekend overlies melt-freeze crusts that formed over the past few weeks.The mid and lower snowpack is generally well-settled and strong.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.
Loose Wet
Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.