Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
Confidence
Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain on Wednesday
Weather Forecast
Wednesday: A cold front traveling across the province will bring light to locally moderate precipitation. Freezing levels 2000m and strong westerly winds are expected.Thursday: A lull between weather systems will mostly overcast skies with sunny breaks. Some light precipitation is possible. Freezing levels 1500m and strong northwesterly winds.Friday: Another pacific frontal system affects the interior with some precipitation, but not until later in the day. Moderate west winds and freezing level at 1800m.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches reported. Expect loose wet snow releases from steep terrain at treeline and below. Pockets of wind slab may be triggered by skiers or riders at higher elevations.
Snowpack Summary
30-40cm of new snow has fallen at 1800m elevation and above. Recent moderate winds have created wind slabs in alpine leeward slopes and scoured the new snow down to a hard crust on windward aspects. The snowpack continues to be moist below the crust.
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.
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.