Avalanche hazard will rise with daytime warming and solar input. Time your day to move off of slopes before they get moist or slushy and steer clear of overhead hazards like cornices.
Cornices are large and likely weakening with sun and significant daytime heating. Big cornice falls are a hazard on their own but can also trigger avalanches on the slopes below.
Sun and warm daytime temperatures can quickly destabilize solar slopes and increase the likelihood of avalanches. Pinwheeling and a moist snow surface are signs that the stability of the upper snowpack is decreasing.
Even small avalanches can be a hazard in high consequence terrain and above terrain traps.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear, light south east wind, alpine low -4, freezing level to valley bottom in most parts of region.
WEDNESDAY: Sunny, light to moderate south west wind, alpine high +6, freezing level 2300 m.
THURSDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light to moderate south west wind, alpine high +8, freezing level 2500 m.
FRIDAY: Increasing cloud, flurries possible, moderate to strong south west wind, freezing level 1600 m.
Wet loose avalanches in the size 1-2 range have been reported from alpine and treeline elevations over the past few days. A couple of recent cornice falls from the last week have been noted as well. A small (size 1) wind slab was triggered accidentally near Fernie on Saturday. On Thursday-Friday a few solar triggered slabs up to size 2 were noted.
The alpine may be wind affected in open areas. Snow on all solar aspects and lower elevation bands will start out crusty but may get moist by mid morning. Reports suggest snow on northerly terrain above 1600 m has so far remained dry. Cornices are large and looming, and glide cracks are increasing in size...both should be considered unpredictable and given a wide berth.
Around 30 to 50 cm of snow sits above a layer of sugary faceted grains that were buried in mid-February. In some areas, there may be an old layer of feathery surface hoar or facets from late January down 50 to 80 cm deep. There have been no reported avalanches on either of these layers in the region in the last 10 days, but there is always lingering concern that consecutive days in a row of warm temperatures may increase the reactivity of deeper weak layers in isolated areas.
