An intense Pacific storm will crash into Rogers Pass tonight, delivering 30-40cm of snow, warming temps, and strong to extreme winds. Avalanche activity is expected through the night and into Wednesday, necessitating avalanche control.
A visit to your local ski hill to sample the new snow is recommended.
60-80cm of snow overlays a layer of surface hoar in sheltered zones, and a sun crust on steep, solar aspects. There has been limited activity on this layer in recent days, but the new load from the incoming storm could re-awaken this problem.
An intense, overnight storm will bring 30-40cm of snow, accompanied by strong/extreme W winds and warming temps. A reactive, cohesive storm slab will form with these conditions and will be easily triggered by riders.
Natural activity is expected to ramp up overnight and continue throughout Wed with heavy snow, warming temps, and strong/extreme winds from the West.
Avalanches have the potential to step-down to the Dec 6 surface hoar layer, which would result in large, destructive slides to valley bottom.
Incoming snow, strong/extreme W winds, and rising temps will build a surface storm slab. This lands on variable wind slabs already present in the Alpine and at Treeline.
A persistent weak layer is down 50-70cm. This interface consists of surface hoar in sheltered locations, a sun crust on solar aspects, and continues to produce moderate-hard sudden results in test profiles.
The snowpack's base is comprised of several early-season melt-freeze rain crusts.
A strong frontal system arrives tonight, bringing heavy snow, rising temps, and strong winds.
Tonight Snow, 20cm, Alp low -7°C, mod S winds, Freezing level (FZL) 900m
Wed Snow, 15-20cm, Alp high -3°C, mod/gusting extreme W winds, FZL 1500m.
Thurs Cloudy/sunny periods, isolated flurries, trace amounts, Alp high -3°C, mod S winds, FZL 1300m
Fri Cloud, scattered flurries, 5cm, Alp high 2°C, light S winds, FZL 1700m
