Watch for small wind slabs at higher elevations, weak overhanging cornices and wet surface conditions the sun comes out.
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Cornices may be weak and reactive to human triggers.
Cornices are a significant hazard alone, and may produce large slab avalanches as they fall onto the slope below.
Stay aware of your exposure to cornices as you travel on slopes below them, and as you move along ridgelines.
A cool and unsettled flow will affect coastal regions into the weekend. Convective flurries are expected in isolated areas and may be heavy at times.
THURSDAY NIGHT: Partly cloud with light northerly winds. Freezing level drop to valley bottom. Overnight flurries bring trace amounts of snow in most areas, up to 5 cm near the Coquihalla.
FRIDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with light southeasterly winds. Freezing level rises to 1300 m. Light snowfall in the afternoon brings trace amounts of snow for most areas, and around 5 cm near the Coquihalla again.
SATURDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with moderate easterly winds. Freezing levels rise to 1500 m. Flurries bring trace amounts of snow during the day and around 3 cm overnight.
SUNDAY: A mix of sun and cloud with increasing southeasterly winds. Freezing levels rise to 1600 m. Isolated flurries are expected to bring trace amounts.
On Tuesday, natural and skier triggered wind slab avalanches were reported, mostly size 1 and up to size 2. These occurred at higher elevations on west facing slopes from the recent easterly winds.
Looking forward, avalanche activity is unlikely given the current cool conditions with little snowfall expected each day. Always consider the possibility of pockets of wind slabs in steep exposed terrain, cornice failures around ridgelines, and wet loose avalanches if the sun is out.
10 to 30 cm of dry, wind-affected snow sits above a hard melt-freeze crust at higher elevations. Wind loaded features can likely be found on all aspects as recent winds have varied from southwest to northeast.
A surface melt-freeze crust is found at treeline and below, which may soften during daytime warming.
Various melt-freeze crusts exist in the upper to middle snowpack, which reports suggest are bonding well. The lower snowpack is considered strong and well settled at this time.
