Our persistent weak layer is sensitive and will continue to be a concern with the warm weather. Dangerous avalanche conditions exist and rider-triggered avalanches are likely.
High wind and recent snowfalls have created reactive wind slabs in lee terrain near ridgetops and on cross-loaded features. At higher elevations, these slabs have the potential to step down to deeper layers and produce large avalanches.
Persistent weak layers have become active with increased load and warm temperatures. A small wind slab may also step down to produce larger avalanches. Avoid shallow areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
Explosive controls produced numerous slab avalanches (up to size 2) in lee alpine terrain near Whistler on Monday and Tuesday. Several natural avalanches from the past storm cycle are still been observed across the region. One impressively large avalanche was reported on the MIN near Russet Lake.
Multiples stepp-down to the late-Jan/early Feb persistent layers around 60 to 80 cm deep were also reported from steep northerly slopes at treeline and above.
The region received 25 to 40 cm of recent snow since Sunday, bringing the storm total to 60 to 80 cm. This overlies problematic faceted snow, or surface hoar in sheltered terrain. In exposed terrain, a sun crust is present up to 1700 m while wind-affected surfaces exist at upper elevations.
A weak layer, buried at the end of January, is now 80 to 100 cm deep in the snowpack. This may present as a crust on sunny slopes, sugary facets in most places, and surface hoar in sheltered spots. Natural avalanches and human triggering were reported on this concerning weak layer.
Tuesday Night
Cloudy with isolated flurries. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature stable around -2°C. Freezing level around 1500 m.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny. 35 to 50 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature stable around +4°C. Freezing level reaching to 2500 m.
Thursday
5 to 10 cm of new snow or rain. 40 to 60 km/h southwesterly ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0°C. Freezing level around 1500 m.
Friday
Partly cloudy. 25 to 45 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +2°C. Freezing level reaching 2000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
