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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 31st, 2023–Jan 1st, 2024

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

Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames.

Cooler temperatures have likely re-frozen the surface snow into a rain crust up to 1500 m. Any new snow at upper elevations has been redistributed to form wind slabs in alpine lee terrain.

Confidence

No Rating

Avalanche Summary

There were no reports of avalanche activity on Sunday.

On Saturday there were reports of widespread wet loose and wet slab avalanches size 1-2 on all aspects These likely happened Friday, Friday night and Saturday.

Snowpack Summary

There is likely a rain crust at or near surface up to 1500. At upper elevations, moderate to strong southwest winds have redistributed any recent snow into lee terrain.Two buried surface hoar layers may still found in isolated areas, buried 75-100 cm, and 120-200 cm deep. Their likelihood of triggering has likely reduced with the recent warm temperatures, rain and subsequent re-freezing. Snow depths are highly variable depending on elevation, and decrease rapidly below treeline.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Mostly cloudy with 3-6 cm of snow, south west wind 30-50 km/h, treeline temperature -4 °C, freezing level 500 m.

Monday

Mainly cloudy with 1-3 cm of snow, southwest wind 20-40 km/h, treeline temperature -3 °C, freezing level 400 m.

Tuesday

Cloudy with flurries, southeast wind 15-30 km/h, treeline temperature -2 °C freezing level 500 m.

Wednesday

Cloudy with snow, southeast wind 40-60 km/h, treeline temperature 0 °C freezing level around 1000 m.

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.
  • Avoid freshly wind loaded terrain features.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.