Fresh wind slabs can be found in the alpine and in some locations at treeline.
We have noticed some small avalanches running further than expected as they gather facetted snow in the track.
Extreme W to SW winds overnight Thursday and up to 20cm of recent snow have developed slabs in lee alpine and treeline terrain. These will be bigger in areas with more new snow and may run further than expected if they pick up facetted snow in steep gullied terrain.
The snowpack is generally deeper, and is thereby stronger, in this Little Yoho sub-region than in most of the BYK forecast region. However, thin snowpack areas, such as windward and exposed terrain, display the same weak, faceted snow at the base of the snowpack as is commonly found further east.
A field team in the Takakaw Falls area on Friday saw limited amounts of wind-generated sluffing down the face of the Vice President originating at ridge crest. Visibility was limited.
10-20 cm of new snow since Dec 7 has been blown into slabs in the alpine and at treeline. The recent snow sits on a layer of facets and surface hoar that persists in isolated locations.
The mid-pack is generally strong however a weak facet layer can be found near the ground in shallow snowpack areas.
At treeline, average snowpack depths range from 120 to150 cm. The snowpack here is generally deeper and more consolidated than areas further east in the BYK region.
Alpine winds shifted to the NW and became light to moderate Saturday. As a weak ridge forms Sunday, these winds will persist, skies will clear and temperatures will drop a few degrees to range between -8C and -12C near treeline.
