Happy New Year!
Strong SW winds have stripped, then loaded and cross-loaded slopes through the region.
Most fetch zones are stripped and snow has been redistributed to lee slopes and cross-loaded gulleys. If triggered, the avalanche could awaken weaknesses at the base of the pack creating large avalanches.
This weakness could be triggered by large loads or from thin spots in the snowpack. This problem seems more pronounced at treeline where whumphing and cracks have been observed.
A strong system continues through BC today. The mass of the system will remain west of the divide while trace amounts of precip will tickle the region for the next 3 days.
CAA's Mountain Weather Forecast for more specific details.
Large surface hoar growing up to 2200m in sheltered areas. SW winds have created wind slabs on lee features treeline and above. These windslabs sit on a variety of buried wind slabs and facetted weak layers. The bottom of the snowpack consists of facets, decomposing crusts and pronounce depth hoar.
Field team reported concerning results from snowpack tests in Southern forecast region around Mount Wilson. Moderate to hard sudden planar results at treeline on the weak basal depth hoar/facet layers.
