High freezing levels, clear skies and unconsolidated snow are a perfect recipe for a widespread wet loose avalanche problem.
Avoid steep slopes and exposure to overhead hazards.
Wind slabs may become more reactive to human triggering with the incoming rise in freezing levels, specifically on high north facing alpine features.
Last weeks storm snow continues to produce small avalanches down 20 to 30 cm deep. Expect that warm temperatures and clear skies will impact the upper snowpack resulting in wet loose avalanche activity.
Several human triggered avalanches size 1 to 1.5 were reported on Sunday off the Coquihalla in the Zoa area. A larger size 2 wind slab was human triggered on a cross loaded feature at treeline.
Human triggered avalanches within the upper snowpack are expected to continue and spike as the freezing levels rise and skies clear.
High freezing levels and clear skies are impacting the surface snow and upper snowpack. Moist surface snow overlies settling and wind affected storm snow from last week.
A soft layer of snow may be preserved between the moist surface snow and the 130 cm mid/lower snowpack that sits over the December 16th melt-freeze crust.
Monday Night
Clear skies. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2600 m.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.
Thursday
Mix of sun and clouds. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 2400 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
