Extensive wind effect can be found in open areas. We are slowly gaining confidence with the snowpack, but a cautious approach to terrain is important at higher elevations as large avalanches are still possible.
Weather Forecast
The arctic ridge starts to break down Friday over the area with increasing cloud but still cold conditions for Friday. Winds will increase to moderate/strong above 3000m but will stay light at valley bottom. Some light snow over the weekend with 10-15 cm at treeline by Sunday evening and slightly warmer (but not warm!) temperatures.
Snowpack Summary
The upper pack consists of storm snow from earlier in the month that is starting to settle and bond. This overlies a well settled mid-pack. The previously reported weak layers within the mid-pack (Dec 15, Jan 6, and Jan 16 layers) are becoming stronger and only producing hard to no results with pit tests.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches reported or observed in Little Yoho in the last 48 hours.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.