Purcells

Recent new snow combined with wind has promoted wind slab development as well as cornice growth. As the clouds part in the coming days remember that the sun packs a punch this time of year.

Moderate - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

TUESDAY: Mix of sun, cloud and isolated flurries / Light southwest wind / Alpine temperature -11 WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light southwest wind / Alpine temperature -10 THURSDAY: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries / Light to moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -6

On Sunday there were Reports from the weekend consist primarily of natural and explosive triggered wind and storm slab avalanches size 1.5 to 2.5 in the alpine and at treeline on northerly, easterly and westerly aspects. Additionally there was a skier triggered size 1.5 persistent slab avalanche on a southwest aspect at 2100m that failed on a facets 100cm deep.

Storm snow amounts from the last week total 50-80cm (higher amounts in the south and west parts of the region). This new snow has been redistributed into wind slabs in wind-exposed terrain by primarily south, southwest and southeast wind. 70-100cm below the surface there's a layer buried mid-February that's a sun crust on solar aspects, and spotty surface hoar on sheltered slopes. This layer looks most concerning on on solar aspects where it's associated with with small facets or surface hoar above.There are several deeper layers that have shown signs of improving but still remain suspect as low probability - high consequence avalanche problems. We are talking about surface hoar layer buried back in December and January. Near the base of the snowpack is a November crust combined with loose sugary faceted snow. These layers may "wake-up" with strong inputs such as sustained warming, sustained snowfall, large triggers (e.g. cornice fall or smaller avalanches coming down from above); human triggering is also possible in shallow snowpack areas with convoluted terrain.