Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 4th, 2023 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
wlewis,
Avalanche Canada
Watch for wind slabs forming over the day as southerly winds increase. Small avalanches may step down to deeper weak layers in the snowpack.
Stay cautious of areas where the snowpack depth changes rapidly, such as thin and rocky start zones.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
No recent avalanche activity has been reported in the region. However, there have been several recent reports of large human-triggered avalanches in neighboring regions.
Please continue to share any observations or photos on the Mountain Information Network.
Snowpack Summary
Roughly 30 to 50 cm of low-density snow overlies a generally weak, facetted snowpack with multiple buried weak layers. As southerly winds increase expect wind slabs to build in north facing terrain. New wind slabs may sit over a layer of reactive surface hoar and or crust.
A layer large and weak facets sits in the bottom of the snowpack, buried in November.
Snowpack depth is roughly 150 cm at treeline.
Weather Summary
Wednesday Night
Some cloud with strong southerly winds developing. No snowfall expected. Freezing levels below valley bottom.
Thursday
A mix of sun and cloud, with flurries bringing trace amounts of snow. Moderate to strong southeast winds. Freezing level rises to 500 m, alpine high of -4 °C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries. Moderate southwest winds. Freezing levels rise to 600 m. Alpine high of -3 °C.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries. Moderate southwest winds. Freezing levels rise to 600 m. Alpine high of -3 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
- Avoid thin areas like rock outcroppings where you're most likely to trigger avalanches failing on deep weak layers.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Low density snow on the surface is available for southerly winds to redistribute into pockets of wind slab in north facing terrain.
Small avalanches in wind loaded features have the potential to step down to deeper weak layers creating larger then expected avalanches.
Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
Multiple weak layers persist deep in the snowpack and have produced large avalanches in neighboring regions.
Most concerning are layers of facet, crust and/or surface hoar buried 30-50 cm deep, and a layer of facets near the base of the snowpack. Although widespread, both layers appear to be most reactive around treeline and lower alpine elevations, in terrain with shallow, variable snow depths.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 5th, 2023 4:00PM
