Increasing wind and more snow on the way will create fresh wind slabs in the alpine and possibly into tree line on Monday.
Up to 20cm of low density snow is available for transport. The winds is expected to increase Sunday night into Monday to the strong range from the West. The wind is expected to redistribute the available snow creating fresh wind slabs on Monday.
Buried crust/facet layers exist in the upper snowpack on steep solar aspects and have resulted in a few large avalanches over the past week. These persistent layers can be tricky to assess so use caution on slopes where they are present.
A slow but steady stream of precipitation is expected between Sunday evening and Wednesday morning. Up to 25cm is expected throughout that period. Also, the wind is expected to be strong from the West on Monday. Temperatures will generally be seasonal, with valleys warming to zero in the afternoons and the high alpine ridges remaining about -10.
15-30cm of very low density snow over a buried sun crust on steep solar aspects. Very little wind or wind effect observed today. Feb 16 sun crust down 30-40 cm on steep solar aspects. Jan 30 sun crust or facet interface down 50-80 cm. The lower snow pack is generally well settled with typical weak facets found in shallow areas.
A large avalanche was heard near theTakakkaw Falls study plot above above the Iceline trail in Little Yoho this afternoon. Both ski areas reported very small windslabs less than size 1 in immediate alpine lee areas. No other avalanches were observed or reported.
