Heavy snowfall is expected overnight Sunday. Avoid exposure to avalanche terrain as natural avalanches are expected.
Heavy snowfall and warm temperatures will stress buried weak layers. Small avalanches have potential to step down and produce very large avalanches.
Storm slabs are expected to remain very sensitive to triggers, and will likely produce natural avalanches as storm snow continues to accumulate overnight on Sunday. Deeper and more reactive slabs have likely formed near ridgelines.
Natural, human and explosive triggered avalanches have been reported to size 2.5 - primarily from steep and wind affected slopes at treeline and above.
Several recent avalanches have been reported on the buried persistent weak layers, triggered by riders (including one remote trigger). These have primarily occurred on north and east facing slopes above 1750 m.
Natural and human triggered avalanche activity is expected to continue with heavy snowfall Sunday night.
By Monday morning storm totals are expected to reach up to 70 cm in the north of this region, and 40 cm elsewhere. Moderate to strong southwest winds have likely redistributed this snow into deeper and more reactive deposits at treeline and above. Lower elevations have received mostly rain, creating wet surface conditions or a crust.
This storm snow sits over a layer of surface hoar or thin crust from mid-February. Another weak layer of faceted snow /surface hoar/and a crust from late January is buried 60 to 100 cm deep. Both of these weak layers are expected to be more reactive from the heavy snowfall and warm temperatures. The remainder of the snowpack is generally well-settled.
Sunday Night
Cloudy with 10 to 30 cm of snow possible, favouring the north and west of this region. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Snowfall is expected to begin the night at 1500 m, and drop to 500 m by morning.
Monday
Mostly cloudy with possible morning sunny breaks. 25 to 35 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level rising to 1600 m.
Tuesday
Cloudy with 5 to 15 cm of snow by Tuesday morning, and another 5 to 15 cm possible over the day. 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.
Wednesday
A mix of sun and cloud. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
