Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
Confidence
Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Monday
Weather Forecast
Overnight and Monday: Flurries and periods of light snow are expected overnight with light Westerly winds. Northwest winds are expected to develop during the day, and 5-10 cms of snow should fall as the warm front moves through the region. Freezing levels should rise to about 1200 metres.Tuesday: A trailing cold front is expected to continue to bring light to moderate snow fall amounts with light to moderate Northwest windsWednesday: Continued light to moderate snow falls and moderate Northwest winds.
Avalanche Summary
No reports of new natural avalanche activity. Some explosives control results up to size 2.0 and some loose dry snow sluffing in steep terrain.
Snowpack Summary
There is now about 20-30 cms of storm snow above the weak surface hoar layer that was buried on January 23rd. Snow profile tests are showing planar results with moderate forces applied. The storm slab has not been very reactive. Natural avalanches have not been reported. Propagations have been limited to pockets of soft wind slab in most areas. Changing temperatures over the next few days with a warm front and then a trailing cold front, as well as continued incremental snow falls may develop a reactive slab where the surface hoar remains intact. There is quite a bit of variability in the amount of wind effect and snowfall amounts across the region.
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.