Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Nov 24th, 2018 3:52PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Storm Slabs.

Avalanche Canada cgarritty, Avalanche Canada

Limited observations mean that uncertainty reigns in the Cariboos. Watch for signs of slab formation in the uppermost layer of snow and expect a touchy weak layer hiding beneath it around treeline elevations.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Saturday night: Mainly cloudy with light southwest winds.Sunday: Cloudy with sunny periods. Light to moderate south winds. Alpine high temperatures around -3.Monday: Cloudy with scattered wet flurries bringing 5-10 cm of new snow to upper elevations. Light rain below about 1600 metres. Strong south winds. Alpine high temperatures increasing to around 0 with freezing levels rising to about 2000 metres.Tuesday: Cloudy with scattered wet flurries bringing a trace to 10 cm of new snow to upper elevations. Light rain below about 1600 metres. Alpine high temperatures around 0 with freezing levels remaining near 2000 metres before dropping in the afternoon.

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanches have been reported in the region, however early season conditions have been limiting observations of the backcountry.

Snowpack Summary

Light snowfall over Thursday and Friday brought recent storm snow totals to about 30-35 cm and total alpine snowpack depths to around 120-190 cm. The storm snow overlies a reportedly widespread layer of weak, feathery surface hoar crystals that formed during the clear period prior to the storm at treeline elevations and above. On steeper solar aspects, this surface hoar layer may instead exist as a thin sun crust below the storm snow. Below this variable layer, there is a basal crust from late October covering the ground. Snowpack depths taper quickly with elevation and below treeline elevations generally remain below threshold depths for avalanching

Problems

Storm Slabs

An icon showing Storm Slabs
About 30 cm of recent snow sits above a weak layer of feathery surface hoar crystals at upper elevations. It is likely to be most reactive to human triggering where winds have promoted slab formation.
Watch for signs of instability, such as whumphing, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.Be extra cautious around sheltered openings near treeline where surface hoar may be most prominent.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Nov 25th, 2018 2:00PM

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