South Rockies

Forecast snowfall and freezing levels are uncertain, but expect a pulse of weather on Tuesday night to drive up the danger on Wednesday.

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

TUESDAY NIGHT: A short pulse of warm wet weather overnight will bring 5-10 mm of precipitation, strong southwest wind, and freezing level up to 2000 m.WENDESDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries, strong southwest wind, freezing level dropping to around 1800 m.THURSDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, moderate southwest wind, freezing level around 1700 m with alpine temperature around -4 C.FRIDAY: Increasing cloud, moderate southwest wind, alpine temperature around -1 C.

No recent avalanches have been reported. Evidence of a large natural avalanche cycle during last week's storm has been reported around the Crowsnest Pass / Sparwood area (typically size 2.5 deep persistent slabs). A fresher size 3 avalanche in the Alexander Creek drainage was possibly triggered by a cornice fall on Sunday. Widespread natural activity in the neighboring Kananaskis region suggest conditions may be touchier north of Elkford.New snow should form wind slabs at higher elevations, well warming and cornice falls are potential triggers for deep persistent slab avalanches.

Light amounts of alpine snow will form wind slabs in the alpine on Tuesday night. Meanwhile at lower elevations, light rain will soak the snowpack once again. Recent rain and sun have left a variety of crusts that are thicker and most supportive in open south facing terrain. Below the new snow and crusts, roughly 50-90 cm of snow sits above the February crust and facet interfaces. In some areas there may still be a poor bond to these interfaces. The bottom third of the snowpack is composed of weak facets and full-depth avalanches over this basal weakness remain a concern.