New snow & wind may build new storm slabs overnight.
If you see more than 20 cm of new snow in your area, hazard is CONSIDERABLE and storm slabs may be more reactive than expected.
New snow and wind are expected to form storm slabs. These slabs will be most reactive on wind-loaded north through east facing slopes near ridgetops.
On Tuesday, ski cuts resulted in some small size 1 wind slabs near Whitewater.
On Monday, Loose dry natural avalanches up to size 1.5 were observed in steep terrain features.
Looking forward, we expect storm slabs may be possible to trigger at upper elevations on Thursday, especially on wind-loaded aspects.
5 to 15 cm of new snow fell in the region on Wednesday, and another 5 to 15 is expected by Thursday afternoon.
The mid December crust is down 40 to 70 cm, seems well bonded, and is not concerning at this time.
The mid and lower snowpack is generally well-settled but contains multiple crust layers with some overlying facets observed.
Wednesday Night
Cloudy. 2 to 10 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 2000 m dropping to 1400 m.
Thursday
Cloudy. 2 to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.
Friday
Cloudy. 15 to 25 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.
Saturday
Sunny. 5 to 10 cm of snow Friday night. 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -15 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
