The snowpack still needs time to heal. Approach all avalanche terrain with caution and expect human triggered avalanches. Now is the time to find low angled skiing.
Recent strong winds have formed windslabs in alpine and treeline areas. The warm temps have settled the loose snow into a denser layer (slab).
This layer is getting getting buried deeper and deeper over time. The weight and amount of new snow is slowly increasing, which will increase the size of any potential avalanches.
Nothing new has been reported or observed. The snowpack has been unstable in the last few days with reports of wet loose slides, avalanches, whumphing, cracking and settlements. This will likely continue for the next few days. Check out the MIN reports at: https://avalanche.ca/map
Warmer weather continues to settle the upper snowpack into denser snow. Expect to find reactive wind slabs and settled snow up to 30cm thick at treeline and above. These slabs are reacting on the faceted layer formed by the recent cold spell. The Dec 5th crust can be found in the lower third of the snowpack and could wake up with the warmer temps and produce larger avalanches, especially triggered from thinner areas. Now is a good time to step back and let nature take care of the snowpack with the warmer weather.
Continued Chinook like conditions with warm temperatures will prevail for another day. Wednesday will be mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a high of -5c. Ridge winds are expected to be 35km/h from the SW, along with a freezing level of 1600m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
