Start small if you're poking into avalanche terrain on Sunday and be ready to dial back your terrain selection with any signs of instability.
It will take time for the new snow from Saturday's storm to form a reliable bond with the previous surface crust. Steep, wind-loaded features will be the most likely to trigger.
Strong sunshine will destabilize snow on south-facing slopes on Sunday. This problem will likely be limited to new snow accumulations.
Early reports from Saturday's storm in the Whistler area showed ski cutting and explosives producing size 1 releases in ridgetop lees in the morning, with snow and wind ongoing.
Slabs formed at higher elevations, especially where wind loaded, will remain a concern for Sunday.
Saturday's storm should leave us with 20 to 40 cm of windblown new snow above treeline, tapering to a rain-soaked surface below treeline.
Where new snow accumulated, it mostly buried a widespread thin crust, thickest on sun-exposed slopes. It may add to dry snow on the region's highest north-facing slopes.
Below the evolving surface, a wind-redistributed 15-50 cm of older snow, some moist and settled, some dry and faceted, sits on the thick late-January crust. A few areas are more problematic with only 5 cm of lower density faceted snow above the crust.
The mid and lower snowpack are well settled and strong.
Saturday Night
Becoming partly cloudy as the storm finishes with about 5 cm of new snow above 1500 m. 20 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, easing. Treeline temperature falling to -3 °C as freezing level drops to 1200 m.
Sunday
Sunny. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, easing a bit. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.
Monday
Becoming cloudy with flurries bringing up to 5 cm of new snow. 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Tuesday
Cloudy with flurries continuing from overnight bringing 5 to 20 total cm of new snow. 10 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, easing. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
