Purcells

Local snowpack and weather variations exist throughout the region. Be aware of conditions that are specific to your area and make observations continuously as you travel.

A size 1.5 skier accidental slab avalanche was observed at treeline on Wednesday. The slide, which occurred on a northeast aspect, had a crown of 25cm and is reported to have released on the February 15th surface hoar.Two size 1.5 slab avalanches were triggered on Wenesday by natural cornice fall on a north aspect at treeline. The crown was between 40 and 50cm deep and is reported to have failed on the February 12th surface hoar.Increased avalanche activity is expected with weather forecast for Friday.

Fair - Due to variable snowpack conditions

Friday: Moderate to locally heavy snowfall / Strong to extreme southwest winds / Freezing level at 1200mSaturday: Light snowfall / Moderate northwest winds / Freezing level at surfaceSunday: trace amounts of snow / Light southwest winds / Freezing level at 1000m

Dribs and drabs of recent low density snow add to a slab which overlies reactive layers of surface hoar that were buried on February 12th and February 15th. These layers currently sit between 15 and 60cm below the surface. The slab may also be reactive on southerly aspects where buried sun crusts exist. Loading from new snow and wind on Friday may cause another cycle of natural activity, or an increased sensitivity to human triggers. There are older weak layers that are now buried down around 70-80 cms and also at about 110 cms. These layers have been less likely to trigger by skiers, but they may still be sensitive to large loads like avalanches in motion or cornice fall.