Avoid steep, sunny slopes when you find moist or wet surface snow.
Persistent slab avalanches remain possible to trigger on high-elevation shady slopes.
Two weak layers exist in the upper snowpack. One is down 40 cm and another down 70 to 130 cm. These layers could be reactive to human triggering in areas where the surface has not refrozen into a thick, supportive crust.
Loose wet avalanches are most likely during the warmest part of the day when the surface snow is moist or wet. These avalanches could step down to buried weak layers creating larger than expected avalanches.
On Friday, a large (size 2.5) naturally triggered persistent slab was reported on a north-facing slope in the North Monashees.
On Thursday a few large (size 2) loose wet avalanches were observed on steep sunny slopes near Valemount.
Looking ahead, warm temperatures mean loose wet avalanche activity will continue. Avalanche activity is unlikely in areas with a thick, hard surface crust.
On shady, upper-elevation slopes, around 10 to 20 cm of recent snow overlies previous firm surfaces. Expect a thick, supportive crust on the surface at low elevations, and on south and west-facing slopes. This crust may soften and melt during the day as it warms.
Two layers of surface hoar and sun crust may be found in the top meter of the snowpack.
A widespread crust is buried about 70 to 130 cm deep. This crust has a layer of facets above it in many areas, creating a persistent weak layer.
The snowpack below this crust is generally not concerning, except in shallow alpine terrain.
Sunday Night
Clear. 15 km/h west ridgetop winds. Treeline temperatures drop to -15 °C.
Monday
Increasing cloud. 15 km/h west ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature high of 3 °C. Freezing level rising to 1800 m.
Tuesday
Partly cloudy. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature high of 2 °C. Freezing level rising to 1700 m.
Wednesday
Cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h southeast ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature high of 0 °C. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
