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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 10th, 2023–Dec 11th, 2023

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

Regions

Lizard-Flathead, South Rockies, Akamina, Flathead, Lizard, Bull, Crowsnest North, Crowsnest South, Elkford East, Elkford West.

Wind slabs at treeline and above are the main concern.

Use extra caution below ridgecrests, roll-overs and in gully features. Watch for signs of instability like shooting cracks.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday, avalanche control produced several small to large avalanches (up to size 2). The general trend was storm slab avalanches to the west, and wind slab avalanches to the east.

A widespread natural avalanche cycle was observed during the storm towards the end of the week, producing loose wet and storm slab avalanches up to size 2.5.

Snowpack Summary

Recent moderate to strong southwest winds have likely redistributed surface snow into deeper, more reactive pockets in leeward terrain features. In some areas, you may also find a thin, frozen crust on the surface.

40-60 cm of recent snow seems to be bonding well to the wet or frozen surface left behind by recent, heavy rain. A hard melt-freeze crust is forming at this interface, observed up to 5 cm thick in some places.

Beneath the upper crust, the remainder of the rain-moistened snowpack is slowly refreezing as freezing level remains below valley bottom.

Snowpack depths vary across the forecast area. 50 to 120 cm at treeline, tapering rapidly below treeline.

Tuesday

HST 40, 40, 60, 52, 50 SS, settled, redistributed by wind.

MFcr 2-5cm, found up to 2200 m. Developing at the interface

Moist snow.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Cloudy. 0-2 cm of snow expected. Moderate southwest ridgetop wind tapering off to light and variable by the morning. Treeline temperature around -5°C.

Monday

Cloudy, possible clearing in the late afternoon. No new snow expected. Light southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline high around -5 °C.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny. No new snow expected. Light southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around -4 °C.

Wednesday

Partly cloudy. No new snow expected. Moderate southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level rising to 1500 m, with a possible above freezing layer at high elevations.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Back off if you encounter whumpfing, hollow sounds, or shooting cracks.
  • Early season avalanches at any elevation have the potential to be particularly dangerous due to obstacles that are exposed or just below the surface.

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.