Windy storm ahead this weekend!
Expect new wind slabs to form and be sensitive to rider triggering.
Expect new wind slabs to form with the incoming storm. Forecast strong, gusty SW winds may form wind slabs lower into the slope than you might expect.
65cm of snow overlays a layer of surface hoar in sheltered zones, and a sun crust on steep, solar aspects. Rider triggered avalanches are still possible and may be difficult to predict.
Natural avalanche activity has mostly tapered off since last weekend's storm. A few size 1 loose moist avalanches observed yesterday from steep solar aspects.
Artillery control produced excellent results on Tupper and Macdonald the night of the 7th, with most shots producing sz 2 to sz 3 avalanches from steep start zones, running out onto valley bottom fans. Debris moved fast, likely picking up speed and mass on the buried surface hoar.
50-70cm of storm snow sits on a sun crust on steep solar aspects. In sheltered locations, this new snow sits atop surface hoar. Strong SW winds at the end of the storm created surface slab conditions on exposed Treeline and Alpine slopes.
There is a dense, well-settled mid-pack without any significant weak layers.
The Nov 9 crust is down 1-1.5m. The base of the snowpack is comprised of several dense, melt-freeze rain crusts formed in October.
A windy weekend storm will bring light to moderate snow through to Monday.
Tonight: Flurries, trace of snow. Alpine Low -6. Moderate South wind, Freezing level(FLZ): 1000m
Sat: Flurries, 10cm. Alpine high -5 °C. Moderate gusting to Strong SW winds. FLZ: 1400m
Sun: Mix of sun and clouds w/flurries, 6cm. Alpine high -7. Moderate to strong SW winds. FLZ: 1100 m
Mon: Flurries, 7cm. Alpine high -10. Light SW wind. FZL 900m
