Lizard-Flathead

Enjoy the blue skies and fresh powder, but remain wary of wind slabs in leeward terrain, especially near ridgetops.

Moderate

• Uncertainty is due to how quickly the snowpack will recover and gain strength.

Numerous natural and explosive-triggered slab avalanches up to size 2.5 (but generally in the size 1-2 range) have occurred in the region over the last few days.

Looking forward, with sunny, cool and dry conditions in the forecast, we expect the storm snow is settling and bonding well. Natural avalanches are unlikely, but wind slabs may remain reactive to human triggering on Monday.

At upper elevations, variable winds have blown recent snow into wind slabs in leeward areas.

Otherwise, the recent storm snow seems to be settling and bonding quickly. Around 20 to 35 cm of snow is sitting on a rain crust that reaches up to 2000 m in parts of the region.

Some additional crusts are buried in the mid-snowpack, but are not concerning at this time.

Below 1500 m, the snowpack rapidly diminishes with elevation.

Sunday Night
Clear skies. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.

Monday
Sunny. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.

Tuesday
Sunny. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Wednesday
Sunny. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
• Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been affected by wind.
• Avoid lee and cross-loaded slopes at alpine and treeline elevations.
• Recent wind has varied in direction, so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.