Newly formed slabs will likely be touchy to riders. Conservative terrain travel is recommended.
Storm slabs are expected to develop during the storm and likely remain reactive on Thursday. Wind slabs will also form in lee terrain features in wind-exposed terrain from strong southwest wind.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 5 to 15 cm, 40 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -5 C.
THURSDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 2 to 5 cm, 50 km/h west wind, alpine temperature -5 C, freezing level rising to 1000 m.
FRIDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 5 cm, 60 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -3 C, freezing level 1200 m.
SATURDAY: Mix of sun and cloud with no precipitation, 50 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature 0 C, freezing level 2000 m.
Many wind slabs were observed on Tuesday, being about 40 cm deep and mostly on easterly aspects.
Avalanche activity is likely to increase during Wednesday night's storm and into Thursday.
Storm totals are expected to be around 15 to 30 cm of snow across the region. This snow will likely form touchy storm slabs in areas sheltered from the wind and wind slabs at higher elevations from strong southwest wind. The snow will fall on previous storm snow and a melt-freeze crust below around 1200 m.
Two weak layers may exist. A layer of surface hoar may be found around 30 cm deep, particularly in the centre and north of the region. A widespread layer of faceted grains is found around 40 to 60 cm deep, which formed during the cold spell in late December and early January. These layers have been most reactive in the central portion of the region.
In thin snowpack areas, the base of the snowpack is composed of weak faceted grains around various melt-freeze crusts, which are considered dormant at this time.
