35cm new snow over the past 4 days in the Icefields area - less further north. Increasing and sustained westerly winds in the forecast - wind slab problem expected to increase in size and consequence in the short term.
Westerly winds are loading and crossloading lee terrain features Alpine and Treeline. Plenty of new snow available for transport, especially in the Icefields area.
With up to 35cm of new snow, loose new snow could be an issue for ice climbers in tight gullies or steep cliffs above.
Wednesday: Sunny periods; isolated flurries. Trace precipitation. Alpine High -7 C. Wind west 20 gust to 45 km/h. Freezing level (FL) 1400m
Thursday: Mainly cloudy; isolated flurries. Trace precipitation. Alpine Low -10 C; High -6 C. Wind SW 20 gust 55km/h. FL 1500m
Friday: Sunny periods; isolated flurries. Trace. Alpine Low -10 C; High -7 C.
Up to 35 cm of new snow since Friday in the Icefields area siting atop a well settled midpack. Less snow further north. A temperature crust down 20-50cm is decomposing and generally below 2300m on steep solar aspects. A facet and depth hoar layer is at the bottom of the snowpack.
Avalanche control highway 93 south produced up to size 1.5 wind slab averaging 30cm deep. A few size 1.5 dry loose observed in steep alpine terrain. Ski cut on an unsupported feature Maligne range produced a size 1.5 wind slab.
