Conditions in the region vary from a capping crust with minimal lingering wind slabs to more serious and widespread wind slabs coupled with lurking deep persistent problems in higher elevation zones. Localized heavier accumulations from convective storms round out the variability! Bring your initial assessment mindset to the game on Thursday.
High and dry alpine north aspects likely still hold pockets of wind slab that haven't been capped by crust and may still react to a human trigger. Watch for these wind slab pockets in steep north and east-facing, leeward slopes.
A weak layer of facets exists near the base of the snowpack. The likelihood of human triggering is low given the layer's depth.
Thinner snowpack areas may be more suspectable to triggering.
In addition to observing evidence of older natural storm and wind slab activity from earlier on in the storm in the Cariboos, operators from the North Rockies to the Cariboos (and beyond) observed a natural wet loose avalanche cycle focused in the later part of the day on Sunday and again on Monday. This activity occurred on all aspects and in many areas extended all the way into alpine elevations. No new avalanches were reported in the region on Tuesday with very limited observations.
The early week storm brought a final trace to 20 cm of new snow to the region Tuesday night, mainly in the Cariboos. On north aspects above 1600 m, this added to 20-50 cm of predominantly wind-affected, settling recent storm snow which overlies old, faceted surface grains, now around 30-70 cm deep.
On solar aspects and even some north aspects to mountaintop (Barkerville area) the latest snow overlies widespread melt-freeze crust or this crust instead presents at the surface.
The middle of the snowpack is generally well-settled and strong.
A weak layer of large facets is found near the base of the snowpack. This layer remains a concern in shallow snowpack areas.
Wednesday night
Mainly clear with possible convective flurries bringing a trace to 5 cm of new snow to isolated areas. Light southwest winds.
Thursday
Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries bringing up to 5 cm of new snow. Light to moderate southwest winds. Treeline high temperatures around -3 with freezing levels around 1400-1600 m.
Friday
Sunny. Light southwest winds increasing in late afternoon. Treeline high temperatures around 0 with freezing levels to 1700 m.
Saturday
Cloudy with isolated flurries. Light to moderate south winds. Treeline high temperatures around 0 with freezing levels to 1700 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
