Regions
Kootenay Boundary.
There is some precipitation forecast overnight Monday into Tuesday morning. This is expected to fall as snow at upper elevations.
Confidence
Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Monday
Weather Forecast
MONDAY Night: Flurries, accumulation 5-10 cm at upper elevations / moderate to strong southwest wind / alpine temperature -3 C / freezing level 1400 mTUESDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries / moderate southwest wind / alpine temperature -3 C / freezing level 1500 m WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with sunny periods / light east wind / alpine temperature -1 C / freezing level 1700 mTHURSDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / light east wind / alpine temperature -2 C / freezing level 1600 m
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanche activity to report from Saturday or Sunday. On Friday natural loose wet activity to size 2 was reported throughout the region.
Snowpack Summary
The current snow surface is quite variable. On higher north aspects above 2000 m you may find some dry, faceted snow. Some of this has been redistributed by southwesterly and northerly winds which may have formed isolated old wind slabs. Expect to see a supportive crust on or near the surface if there is a good overnight freeze. The two crusts in the upper snowpack are our biggest concern. The first crust is down 20 to 30 cm and loose wet avalanches have recently slid on this interface. The deeper one down 60 to 95 cm has produced easy shears in test profiles. Avalanches on this interface are unlikely, but possible. The snowpack at mid and upper elevations is expected to continue to gain strength as we enter a period of consecutive nights with below freezing temperatures.
Problems
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.
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.