Keep a heads up for areas where the wind has created a fresh slab
It may slide easily on the crust and may gain enough mass to push you off your intended line.
Moderate, gusty winds and recent snow have created fresh windslabs. Expect to find this problem most reactive in the lee sides of ridges or cross loaded terrain features at treeline. Once triggered these avalanches have the potential to run far on the buried crust beneath.
A field team on Wednesday observed a natural size 2 slab avalanche. This avalanche started at ridge top from a wind loaded pocket and ran far in the steep north facing terrain. Explosive avalanche control on Wednesday was able to produce a sz 1.5 thin windslab from a treeline slide path.
Over the weekend there was a natural avalanche cycle triggered by strong sun and high freezing levels. All observed avalanches were loose/wet and no bigger than size 2.5.
10-20 cms of snow covers a crust that exists everywhere but high north. Recent winds have blown the new snow into wind slabs in immediate lee features.
The Apr 8 crust is down ~30 cms, and was the layer responsible for recent remote & accidentally triggered avalanches. Feb 3rd crust is the dominant midpack layer down ~110cms and still produces isolated planer results when tested.
BTL the snowpack has gone through a number of melt freeze cycles and is in spring conditions.
High pressure will set up over much of the province bringing clear skies and colder arctic air into the region.
Tonight: Clear with cloudy periods. Nil precip, freezing level at valley bottom.
Thurs: Sun and cloud, Alp high -6°C, light northeast winds, FZL 1600m.
Fri: Sunny with cloudy periods, Nil precip, high -3°C FZL 1800m
Sat: Mix of sun and cloud, no precip. FZL 2200m
