New snow and strong winds will build fresh wind slabs throughout the day. Use caution in lee features where human-triggering wind slabs is possible.
Happy holidays, enjoy the fresh snow!
Fresh snow and strong southerly winds will build fresh wind slabs in lee terrain features. Use caution as human-triggering wind slabs in these areas is possible.
Buried surface hoar can be found 30-50 cm below the snow surface. It is reported to be deeper and more reactive in the western part of the region.
No recent avalanches have been reported in the region. We expect those who head into the backcountry will see evidence of a natural avalanche cycle in wind-loaded alpine features from strong overnight winds.
If you head into the backcountry please consider submitting your observations to the Mountain Information Network.
Storm snow will accumulate throughout the day. This overlies 10-20 cm of settling snow in sheltered areas and wind-affected surfaces at higher elevations. At lower elevations new snow overlies a surface crust.
Two different surface hoar layers have been reported in the upper snowpack (up to 40 cm deep) and appear to be most prominent at treeline and below. Snowpack depths at treeline are 50 to 100 cm.
Sunday Night
Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries, bringing a trace snow. Southwesterly winds, 30 to 50 km/h. Treeline temperatures near -7 °C.
Monday
Cloudy with scattered flurries, 3 to 8 cm of snow. Southerly winds, 50 to 80 km/h. Freezing levels remain at valley bottom, treeline temperatures around -4 °C.
Flurries continue overnight bringing another 5-8 cm of snow.
Tuesday
Partly cloudy with isolated flurries, bringing a trace of snow. Southwest winds, 50 to 70 km/h. Freezing levels rise to 1000 m with treeline temperatures around -1 °C.
Wednesday
Cloudy with scattered flurries, 3 to 8 cm of snow. Southeast winds, 50 to 60 km/h. Freezing level is around 700 m with treeline temperatures around -3 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
