Wind Slabs
- Alpin
- Limite forestière
- Sous la limite forestière
- Probabilité
- Possible - Likely
- Taille
- 1.5–2.5
Recent snow and strong southwesterly wind formed wind slabs on lee slopes at upper elevations. These slabs may remain reactive through Monday.
A persistent weak layer is the primary concern, especially in the north of the region.
Use extra caution in wind-loaded areas at upper elevations and avoid cornices.
Recent snow and strong southwesterly wind formed wind slabs on lee slopes at upper elevations. These slabs may remain reactive through Monday.
Large fragile cornices have formed with recent storms and have been sensitive to triggering. Avoid travelling on or even below them where possible.
A crust buried 75–150 cm continues to show isolated but spooky reactivity, particularly in the Hurley area and zones to the north. Wind slabs could step down to this layer causing larger than expected avalanches.
On Friday & Saturday, several very large (up to size 3) slabs occurred, with most stepping down to the persistent weak layer. Some were triggered by falling cornices.
Previous to that, a widespread avalanche cycle occurred throughout the recent atmospheric river, producing many wet slab and loose avalanches up to size 3, some also stepping down to deeper weak layers.
Up to 10 cm of dry new snow fell in some areas on Saturday night, covering a variety of underlying surfaces. These include wind-affected snow, a thin crust on steep sun-exposed slopes, a widespread thick and hard crust below about 1800 m, and 20–40 cm of older storm snow on sheltered upper elevation north-facing aspects.
A persistent weak layer from early March, consisting of a buried crust now 75–150 cm deep, continues to show isolated reactivity, particularly in the Hurley area and zones north of there.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C. Freezing level falling to 0 m.
Monday
Mostly sunny. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.
Tuesday
Mostly cloudy. 3 to 15 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level rising to 2000 m.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy. 10 to 25 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C. Freezing level rising to 1350 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.