South Coast Inland

A series of storms this week will hopefully blanket the region in snow. For now, storm slabs and avalanche hazard is confined to the alpine where snow has accumulated.

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

SUNDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with isolated flurries, accumulation up to 10 cm, light southwest wind with moderate gusts, freezing level dropping below 1000 mMONDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries, accumulation up to 10 cm, moderate southwest wind, freezing level 1100 mTUESDAY: Snow, accumulation 20-40 cm, moderate gusting to strong southwest wind, freezing level 1200mWEDNESDAY: Flurries, accumulation 5-15 cm, moderate gusting to strong southwest wind, freezing level below 1000 m

A week ago (Saturday, Dec 1), two very large (size 3) avalanches were observed in the Joffre Lakes area. These avalanches released from the high alpine northeast and northwest faces of Mt. Joffre and Mt. Matier, respectively. The evidence of the Mt. Matier slide features several 'step downs' as the slide progressively triggered deeper layers of the snowpack, all the way down to previous summer snow cover. Both slides likely released during the previous storm. And a similar, large avalanche was also reported on Face mountain in the Hurley Pass area.

Snowfall starting Sunday has deposited up to 15 cm at higher elevations in the region. This has buried a weak, variable surface layer covering 20-30 cm of low density faceted snow. The new snow is initially not expected to bond well with the older snow.Prior to this storm, alpine snowpack depths varied around 120-180 cm, with an early November crust at bottom of the snowpack (down 100-120cm). This crust appears to be breaking down at higher elevations and has been unreactive to snowpack tests. Snowpack depths disappear quickly with decreasing elevations.