Warm weather and mixed precipitation will result in variable conditions depending on altitude and aspect. Choose your route carefully and assess the snowpack thoroughly before setting off down a slope.
Wind slabs that have formed since last weekend may still react to skiers passing over them, particularly in alpine slopes, where the warmth of recent days has had a more limited stabilising effect. They are found in particular beneath ridges, beneath convex features and in the loading zones of alpine couloirs.
Warm temperatures and rain could warm the surface snow sufficiently to trigger small wet loose avalanches. Be particularly mindful of steep slopes, areas near rocky outcrops and terrain traps should a small avalanche occur.
No new avalanches were observed or reported.
If you head into the backcountry, thanks for sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).
In the alpine, south-west to north-west facing slopes have been heavily windswept. On east-facing slopes, there is either fresh snow or wind slabs. Sunny slopes were affected by the warm weather on Thursday and there is a chance of a new crust forming there on Friday morning. A thin sun crust, formed on 4 April, lies beneath approximately 30 cm of snow.
In areas sheltered from the wind, between 40 and 70 cm of snow lies on top of a widespread crust.
WEATHER FOR THE CHIC-CHOCS RIDGES AND PEAKS
A low-pressure system moving in from Colorado will bring us some snow and possibly a little rain on Friday.
Thursday evening and overnight: Partly cloudy, light snow 1–2 cm. South-westerly winds of 30–60 km/h. Low -4°C. Freezing level at 150 m.
Friday: Intermittent snow or rain. Accumulations of 1 to 3 cm of snow and/or rain. South-westerly wind 20 to 40 km/h. Maximum +3 °C. Freezing level at 1000 m.
Saturday: Snow showers. Accumulations of 4 to 7 cm. North-westerly wind of 20 to 40 km/h. Maximum of -1 °C. Freezing level dropping to sea level by the end of the day.
Sunday: Sunny. North-westerly wind of 10 to 30 km/h. Maximum +1 °C. Freezing level at 450 m.
For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine weather forecast.
