Avalanche forecast

South Columbia

Jan 13 – 14, 2013Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Increasing hazard is tied directly to the forecasted warm up. See the forecasters blog for some ideas about the changing situation.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–5
    Wind slabs may be found behind terrain breaks such as ridges and ribs. These could be triggered by rapid warming and sun radiation over the next few days.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–5
    Be aware of rapid warming and solar radiation forecasted early this week which will most likely weaken the snow surface, possibly triggering an avalanche on the surface hoar layer down 80-120 cm.

Confidence

Poor - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Sunday night and Monday: The ridge of high pressure that has brought cold temperatures lately is being replaced by a warm front pushing in the interior during the day Monday making temperatures warm up in the alpine and leaving some trace of precipitation during the day. Freezing levels will also rise (700) with a possibility of inversion that could keep the peaks closer to zero degrees as well. Cloud cover should also dissipate in the alpine with some mid-level clouds. Winds are forecasted to be moderate from the Northwest.Tuesday: Similar situation for Tuesday with alpine temperatures being well above normal and strong sun radiation and valley clouds. Winds are expected to be moderate from the Northwest.Wednesday:  Similar outlook for Wednesday with dry conditions and high freezing levels and light West winds.

Avalanche Summary

A few size 1 skier triggered slab avalanches were reported from the South part of the region. Except some sluffing in steep terrain, no other reports since last week's avalanche cycle.

Snowpack Summary

The upper snowpack instabilities that were starting to settle could become unstable again if rapid warming occurs in the next 2 days.  Read the forecaster blog to learn more about this process. The 50-90 cm of snow that fell in the past week is sitting over weaker snow surfaces including surface hoar (found especially at and below treeline in sheltered areas), a sun crust (on steep S to SW -facing slopes) and facets. The distribution of buried surface hoar is patchy, but where it exists, it may become touchy again. Recent winds have also left wind slabs in the lee of terrain breaks such as ridges and ribs at alpine and treeline elevations. In areas sheltered from the wind, fast-moving sluff could throw you off your feet or carry you into a terrain trap. A strong mid-pack overlies a weak facet/crust layer near the base of the snowpack, which is now considered inactive.

Regions covered