Northwest Inland

Watch for wind blowing snow around at ridgetop that indicates wind slabs are forming on exposed downwind slopes.

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

Thursday: Dry, some high cloud and cold. Treeline temperatures around -23 C. Winds easterly 50-70 km/h.Friday: Increasing cloud, but staying dry. Treeline temperatures around -22 C. Winds easterly 60 km/h, diminishing during the day.Saturday: Flurries. Temperatures around -25 C. Light or moderate easterly winds.

Wind slabs avalanches are a concern where wind is being blown around. No new avalanche reports on Tuesday or Wednesday; however; check out the new MIN report for the Miller Ck/ Crater Lk area. That report indicated a natural size 2 slab avalanche which appeared to be a cornice failure in steep complex terrain. The avalanche was noted from a southeast aspect at 1850 m. The crown was 20-30 cm thick, 60 m wide and running up to 300 m in length.

Recent winds have blown from many directions, most recently from the east. As a result, expect wind slabs to exist on a wide variety of exposed slopes. A layer of surface hoar was reported around Hudson Bay Mountain last week, which now sits beneath 40-50 cm of settling snow. A thick rain crust that formed in early November is now buried 50-60 cm deep, and recent snowpack tests produced sudden results on facets (sugary snow) above this crust. Early season snowpack observations are still very limited in the region, but reports suggest the average snowpack depth is 50-90 cm at treeline and 120 cm or greater in the alpine.