Use extra caution at treeline and below where persistent weak layers have been most reactive. Be aware that wind slabs could step down to deeper layers.
Westerly winds have formed wind slab on north and east aspects and likely cross loaded others. Wind slab will generally be found in the alpine but may have formed in some upper treeline features.
A layer of facets formed during the period of arctic air is now down around 30cm but could be found down as deep as 50cm. This layer has now produced natural avalanches at all elevations. It is likely most reactive at treeline where surface hoar could also exist as part of this layer.
On Wednesday in the western part of the Telkwas there was a report of widespread avalanches below treeline. These avalanches were failing down 30cm on the layer of facets formed during the period of arctic air last week.
Over the past couple days our field team has seen evidence of natural avalanches up to size 2.5 that likely released on Sunday. These avalanches were on northeast aspects at treeline or above and failed on a layer of facets formed during the period of arctic air last week.
If you are headed out into the backcountry please consider filling out a Mountain information Network report.
Around 20 to 30cm of recent snow has been redistributed into wind slab on North and east aspects. In non-wind effected terrain this recent snow sits on a layer of facets formed during the period of arctic air. Below treeline the upper snowpack became moist on Monday and has now formed a new thin crust below 1000m.
A surface hoar and facet layer from early December, while spotty, can still be found down around 40cm.
In General snowpack depths are highly variable throughout the region.
Thursday
Cloudy with light flurries bringing a few centimeters of new snow. Light to moderate southeast winds and a low of -9 at 1500m.
Friday
A mix of sun and cloud with flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light southeast winds and a high of -7 at 1500m.
Saturday
Cloudy with light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light westerly winds and a high of -4 at 1500m.
Sunday
A mix of sun and cloud with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light southerly winds and a high of -5 at 1500m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
