South Columbia

Fresh and reactive wind slabs may form at treeline and above as westerly winds increase on Tuesday.

Sheltered terrain features will hold the best riding conditions.

Reports over the last 3 days suggest limited reactivity of the settling storm snow to riders. Explosive control on Saturday produced several size 1-1.5 wind slabs on south-facing slopes. As winds pick up from the west, expect more reactive wind slabs to form near ridgelines on east-facing slopes.

Observations remain limited this early in the season. if you head into the backcountry, please post to the Mountain Information Network!

30-40 cm of settling snow can be found in sheltered terrain features, while exposed areas may hold wind affected surfaces at treeline and above.

In some areas, a crust, with facets, or surface hoar may be buried 40-70 cm deep. While this layer is not currently considered problematic as we have not seen test results or recent avalanches on this layer - observations are currently limited and it may become a concern.

Treeline snowpack depths are around 120-160 cm, and many below treeline slopes are above threshold to produce avalanches.

Monday Night

Cloudy with flurries possible. Westerly ridge top winds, 15-30 km/hr. Treeline temperatures around -6 °C.

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy, possibly clearing late afternoon. 20-40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Freezing levels rise to 800 m, treeline temperatures reach -4 °C.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy. 20-40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures around -8 °C.

Thursday

Cloudy with 5-15 cm of snow. 30-50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures around -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
• Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
• Be alert to conditions that change with aspect and elevation.