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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 1st, 2019–Jan 2nd, 2019

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Northwest Inland.

Snow will fall with strong winds at high elevations and rain at lower elevations on Tuesday night. The coming days will be tricky to manage due to rapid changes with elevation. It will be best to stay on low-angled slopes and avoid overhead exposure.

Confidence

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

Weather Forecast

TUESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with light rainfall at lower elevations and otherwise snowfall, accumulation 10 to 20 cm, strong southwest winds, alpine temperature 0 C, freezing level 1600 m.WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, moderate west winds, alpine temperature -6 C, freezing level 900 m.THURSDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 10 to 20 cm, moderate south winds, alpine temperature -3 C, freezing level 500 m.FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 5 cm, moderate to strong west winds, alpine temperature -7 C, freezing level 300 m.

Avalanche Summary

Three MIN reports all describe recent avalanche activity around the Smithers area. The avalanches were generally described as hard wind slabs, with some scrubbing to the ground through the faceted snow described in the snowpack summary. Check them out here, here, and here. We often have a hard time getting reports of avalanche activity from this region, so if you see anything, please post your observations to the Mountain Information Network! (MIN). Thanks!

Snowpack Summary

Expect fresh wind slabs to form with up to 20 cm of new snow falling with strong southwest winds. These will sit on lingering hard wind slabs from last weekend. Below about 1500 m, expect rain to make the snow surface soggy, before freezing into a melt-freeze crust.Buried under recent storm snow, you may find one or two weak layers in sheltered areas comprising of feathery surface hoar crystals and/or sugary faceted snow. The upper layer may have been buried around December 22 and is likely 30-50 cm below the surface. The lower one was buried in early-December and is now approximately 80-120 cm below the surface. Deeper in the snowpack, there are several crusts including an early-season crust with faceted snow near the bottom of the snowpack.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.