Watch for wind slabs in lee alpine areas. We expect these slabs to be small in size and to become less reactive, but we still have limited field observations.
Any avalanche could be a nasty ride with the shallow snowpack and early-season hazards, so enter steep terrain with caution.
Wind slab development has occurred due to previous winds accompanying the 15-20+ cm of snow on Nov 13th. 20-50 cm thick winds slabs can be expected in alpine lee areas.
There were some small explosive-triggered wind slab avalanches at Lake Louise ski hill on Saturday and Sunday in steep alpine lees up to size 1.5. There was evidence of natural avalanches during the Nov 13 storm to size 1.5, but no recent natural activity.
15-20+cm fell at treeline and above on Nov 13 with wet snow and rain below 2000-2300 m, creating a crust at lower elevations. Previous moderate to strong S-W winds have developed isolated alpine wind slabs. Overall, the snowpack is well settled and supportive. Treeline snow depths range from 40-70 cm, with snow depths tapering rapidly below 1800 m.
Mild temperatures will continue over the next few days, with valley bottom temperatures going above freezing, and alpine temperatures staying around -5°C. Light to moderate SW winds, and trace amounts of snow on Monday. A bit more snow arrives on Tuesday.
