Forecasters remain very concerned about the potential for human triggering. The deep persistent slab problem in particular has shown its potential for long propagation and remote triggering. Keep the slope angle mellow and the slope size small.
Slabs 25-60cm thick sit over the December 17 layer formed by the facets that were on the surface during the prolonged deep freeze. When initiated, these slabs have often stepped down to initiate deep persistent slabs.
The lower snowpack is very weak with the mid and upper snowpack forming an overlying slab in many areas treeline and above. This weak basal layer is uniform across most of the terrain and has shown the potential for long propagations and remote triggering. In most areas of the region the mid and upper snowpack show less slab properties below treeline.
Sunshine Village reported 3 size 2 slabs on nearby Mt Brett as well either a natural (or sympathetic) off of the cornice on Lookout while they explosive triggered two sz 2 thin slabs that ran far in the adjacent Galaxy area. Jasper NP reported a sz 2.5 running to valley bottom off of Mt Kitchener.
10-20cm of soft surface snow sits over a generally weak midpack. The December 17 surface hoar and facet persistent layer is down 25-60cm. The November 16th and November 25 deep persistent layers of facets, depth hoar, and/or crusts are found near the base of the snowpack. Both of these problem layers show moderate to hard snowpack test scores of a sudden character.
Friday night SW winds 40-50km/h will continue in the alpine with a low of -15C at treeline. Saturday will see a high of -5-10C at treeline with alpine winds diminishing in the PM to 20-30kmk/h. Saturday night will see a low of -12C. Trace amounts of snow and mainly cloudy skies closer to the divide through the period.
