South Rockies

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Temperatures return to normal, with the freezing level near surface until Thursday, when it may start to rise towards 1300 m. Cloudy skies and a few flurries are expected Tues-Thursday. Ridgetop winds become strong from the south-west on Wednesday.

No recent avalanches have been reported. If you are out in the mountains, please post your observations to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack observations have been very limited as the season commences. Initial reports suggest there is enough snow above around 1700m for avalanches to occur. Terrain below treeline is reported to be below threshold for avalanche activity.Current surfaces are likely a mix of stubborn wind slabs in exposed higher elevation terrain, and loose faceted snow and surface hoar in more sheltered areas. Depending on the time of day, steep south-facing slopes at higher elevations may be moist or re-frozen. About 15cm below the surface you may find a thick rain crust which exists up to at least treeline elevation. Where it exists, this crust has added strength to the current snowpack. That said, the combination of a crust, facets and surface hoar could prove to be a significant weak layer when it finally snows again. In general there is a lot of uncertainty regarding snowpack structure throughout the region. I would dig down and test for weak layers before committing to any steeper lines.