Danger remains elevated with mild temperatures, snow, and wind once again.
Stick to conservative terrain; uncertainty exists over buried weak layers.
Rider triggering is unlikely, however if triggered, avalanches are expected to be very large and destructive. Buried weak layers are more likely to be triggered by a step down avalanche or large load like a cornice fall.
Slabs may be moist, or dry depending on elevation and may slide easily on the crust below the recent storm snow.
Recent storm snow was triggerable by explosives on Saturday.
In the past five days, two large avalanches have occurred on buried weak layers. A size 3.5 slab was triggered by explosives on a northeast-facing slope at 2200 m near Kelowna, and another large avalanche was reported from the Crowfoot Mountain snowmobile area on a south-facing slope.
High elevations are expected to hold wind affected storm snow, sitting over a thin rain crust. Lower elevations will likely have moist surface snow with Monday's rain.
A mid-November melt–freeze crust with surface hoar and/or faceted grains lies 40–80 cm below the snow surface. Weak, faceted grains can be found at the base of the snowpack, particularly where the snowpack is thin.
Snow depths at treeline vary from about 50 to 100 cm and decrease rapidly at lower elevations.
Sunday Night
Cloudy. 1 to 5 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.
Monday
Cloudy. 4 to 5 mm of rain at treeline. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.
Tuesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 5 to 25 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 10 to 15 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
