Use extra caution below ridgetops, and in cross-loaded features. Watch for signs of instability like shooting cracks, or fresh avalanches. Wind slabs may slide easily where they sit on a frozen crust.
Up to 10cm of fresh snow has likely been redistributed by moderate southwest wind. Expect to find reactive pockets of windslab on leeward slopes.
On any aspect except north, these slabs will be sitting on a refrozen crust formed by the recent sun and warm temperatures. It will be easier to cause an avalanche where wind slabs sit on top of this crust.
A weak layer of facets exists near the base of the snowpack. The likelihood of human triggering is low given the layer's depth. Suspect terrain for human triggering includes steep, shallow, and rocky terrain where the snowpack transitions from thin to thick.
No new avalanches were reported before 4 pm on Saturday.
On Thursday, south of Valemount, several small (size 1.5) naturally triggered avalanches were reported on SE-SW aspects in the alpine. They occurred on slopes facing the sun during the warmest part of the day.
Up to 10cm of soft snow sits over a thin crust on steep slopes facing the sun right up into the alpine. Snow that fell earlier in the week has been redistributed by northeast winds. On high, north-facing terrain, wind slabs may sit over facets and surface hoar.
The mid-snowpack is generally strong. There continues to be a weak layer of facets from November at the base of the snowpack. This layer remains a concern in rocky, shallow, or thin to thick snowpack areas at treeline and above.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy. Possible trace of snow expected. Light west or southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to valley bottom. Treeline low around -7°C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy. No new snow expected. Light northwest wind. Freezing level rising to 1100 m. Treeline high around -4°C
Monday
Mostly sunny. No new snow expected. Light northwest wind. Freezing level at valley bottom in the morning, rising to 1000 m.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny. No new snow expected. Light variable wind. Freezing level at valley bottom in the morning, rising to 1000 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
