Avoid avalanche terrain and exposure to overhead avalanche terrain.
Heavy rain and high freezing levels will continue to create very dangerous conditions.
Rising freezing levels and rain will continue to weaken the recent wind slabs. Open terrain above 2000 m will likely be the more active areas. Expect them to become increasingly reactive during this period of extensive warming.
Persistent slabs remain problematic at treeline and above, especially in areas without a supportive crust above the weak layers. Warm temperatures and precipitation will continue to make this problem more sensitive.
Rising freezing levels and rain will continue to soak the upper snowpack. Wet loose avalanches have the potential to entrain lots of wet, heavy snow, especially at lower elevations, where the snow pack is moist to the ground.
On Thursday, evidence of very large storm slab avalanches (up to size 3) were reported to have occurred naturally on all aspects in the East Purcells. Many features have run full path (up to size 4).
On Wednesday, two very large persistent slabs (size 2.5) were reported on north to north-east aspects at treeline, failing to a depth of 60 cm. near Toby Creek.
Looking ahead, natural avalanches are expected, particularly in areas where avalanche paths have not yet released.
High freezing levels and rain are continuing to soak the upper snowpack up to 2400 m of elevation.
A thick crust can be found on all aspects and is down 30 to 50 cm. The thickness of the crust (from 1 to 10 cm) depends on elevation.
Below this, two layers of concern vary in depth throughout the region. They are generally close together and in the top 100 to 120 cm of the snowpack.
In shallow snowpack areas, depth hoar (large facets) can be found near the bottom of the snowpack.
The lower snowpack is soaked at lower elevations.
Thursday Night
Cloudy. 5 to 15 mm of rain at treeline. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2600 m.
Friday
Cloudy. 20 to 30 mm of rain at treeline. 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2°C. Freezing level 2600 m.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 3 mm of rain or snow at treeline. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 3 cm of snow at treeline. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
