Rising freezing levels with clear, sunny skies will create a wet loose problem anywhere in direct sun or with a lingering snowpack overhead. Small reactive wind slabs found above treeline, in the Icefields.
New wind slabs are forming from recent snow and SW winds. These will be found in lee features and sit above a weak layer of facets or surface hoar.
Warm temperatures and clear skies are likely to produce a wet loose avalanche cycle on sunny SE to SW aspects
This problem is low probability but high consequence as it would be releasing near the ground thus with a lot of destructive volume. Be extra cautious where snowpack goes from thick to thin areas.
No new avalanches observed or reported in the region. Explosives work in the alpine at Medicine Lake produced no significant results.
High freezing levels throughout the region support the development of a new surface crust, especially below treeline (up to 2200m). A weak layer of surface hoar and facets is down ~10cm, which is most problematic in areas with wind loading.
In open areas, recent winds have redistributed the new snow into windslabs. The midpack is still supportive, but a weaker, faceted layer lingers above the ground, creating a deep, persistent slab.
Overnight: Cloudy with clear periods. Low -3 °C. Ridge wind light to 20 km/h. Freezing level: 1700 metres.
Wednesday: Sunny with cloudy periods. High 2 °C. Ridge wind light to 25 km/h. Freezing level: 3100 m.
Thursday: Sunny. Low -1 °C, High 1 °C. Ridge wind light to 20 km/h. Freezing level: 3000 m.
Friday: Sunny with cloudy periods. Low -3 °C, High -1 °C. Ridge wind light to 15 km/h. Freezing level: 2400 metres.
