Watch for wet avalanche activity, and wet or heavy surface snow. High freezing levels overnight with no refreeze will weaken the snowpack.
Short bursts of strong sunshine may rapidly destabilize the snowpack on south facing slopes.
Wind slabs may be found in high alpine terrain, where dry snow has been redistributed onto north and east facing slopes. Expect greater reactivity where slabs sit over a crust.
Large cornices may also become weak and have the potential to trigger slabs on the slope below.
Minimize your exposure to large open slopes during intense sun and warming. Last week's warm weather triggered large wet slab avalanches on steep and open terrain features at treeline and below, especially where the snowpack sits over smooth rock slabs.
Wet loose avalanche activity is also possible where loose surface snow is present below the freezing line and on south facing slopes that may see strong sunshine.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy, around 3 cm of snow, with freezing levels dropping from 2000 -1500 m. Moderate southwest winds.
MONDAY: Another 3 cm of snow over the day, mostly cloudy. Freezing levels rise to 2000 m. Light northerly winds.
TUESDAY: Mostly clear skies, light southerly winds. Freezing levels reach 2500 m throughout the region.
WEDNESDAY: A mix of sun and cloud. Flurries possible, freezing levels remain around 1500 m. Moderate westerly winds.
On Saturday, small loose wet avalanches were naturally triggered by raised freezing levels and short periods of sunshine. Similar activity is expected to continue on Monday.
On Friday, a cornice triggered wind slab size 1.5 was reported in an alpine feature.
Freezing levels have remained around 2000 m for the last few days, as a result moist snow or a melt freeze crust likely exists below on all aspects. Above 2000 m, recent snowfall totals of 5-10 cm sit on wind affected surfaces in shaded alpine areas, and on a sun crust on south facing slopes.
A melt-freeze crust from mid March exists down 40 to 60 cm on all aspects below 1500 m. The mid and lower snowpack is thought to be well settled and strong at this time.
This MIN report describes recent conditions in the Coquihalla area.
