Heavy snowfall overnight and strong - extreme wind will keep the hazard high on Sunday.
Patience is required as we see how the persistent slab problem reacts to the additional loading.
See the Avalanche Canada blog post for an info on persistent slab conditions.
Up to 50 cm of recent snowfall was accompanied by warm temps and strong wind building slabs. Lower elevations will have a less reactive slab but the hazard will remain high due to potential for large avalanches running to valley bottom.
Two persistent weak layers are buried down ~110 and ~140 cm. Last weeks snow, combined with extreme winds, overloaded these layers triggering large, destructive avalanches. Be very suspect of slopes that haven't recently avalanched. These weak layers are still within human triggering depths.
Wet loose natural avalanches up to size 2 observed below tree line in the highway corridor on Saturday.
Limited explosive testing on Friday produced one size 3 avalanche on the west end of the park.
Natural avalanche activity has slowed down. See the Avalanche Canada blog post for info on dealing with persistent slab problems. We are entering the "healing' stage. Avalanches are becoming less likely but the consequence will remain massive for the foreseeable future.
Approx. 50cm of recent storm snow has been redistributed by strong - extreme westerly wind creating wind slabs.
The Feb 9 surface hoar (SH) is down 90-120 cm and remains reactive in snowpack testing. The Feb 9 SH sits over a crust on solar aspects.
The Jan 26th layer is buried down 130-160 cm, and is composed of very large surface hoar (up to 40mm), facets, and/or a crust, The largest surface hoar is preserved in sheltered areas below treeline.
Freezing levels are dropping Sun morning.
Tonight Snow, 16cm. Alpine low -3°C. Freezing level (FZL) 1600m. Wind SW 25 gusting to 80km/h.
Sun Scattered flurries, 5cm. High -4°C. FZL 1400m. Wind West 15 gusting 80km/h.
Mon Isolated flurries, trace precipitation. High -11°C. Wind SW 15 gusting to 50km/h. FZL valley bottom.
Tues Scattered flurries, 4cm. High -12°C. FZL 500m. Wind SW 15 gusting to 50.
