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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 20th, 2022–Dec 21st, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Chic-Choc Mountains.

Less snow than expected has fallen in the mountains, conditions are still far from ideal.

If you are going to the alpine, beware of small isolated wind slabs. At the beginning of the season, even a small avalanche can have serious consequences.

Getting out on the mountain? We need your observations! https://www.avalanche.ca/mountain-information-network

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity has been observed or reported. Please share your observations at [email protected], or with the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

The passage of the low-pressure system that affected the Chic-Chocs from Sunday to Tuesday finally left a meagre 5 to 10 cm in the mountains. The sectors further east of our forecast area will have been slightly favoured. On the leeward aspects, this new snow covered 10 to 30 cm of wind-affected snow accumulated on the December 8 crust. A thin layer of freezing drizzle crust is buried within a few centimetres of this layer. The average snowpack height is about 45 to 65 cm at mid-mountain. The spatial variability at the beginning of the season is impressive. Despite the fresh snow, snow conditions remain hazardous. Crust and obstacles such as rocks, stumps, trees and trunks can still be found barely buried under this white carpet.

Weather Summary

Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits.

Short passage of a weak ridge of high pressure Wednesday morning, arrival of a new low late Wednesday. Tuesday evening and night: Cloudy with light snow. Wind southwest 10 to 20 km/h. Low -7. Wednesday: Light snow late in the day, 2 to 4 cm. Wind southwest 20 to 40 km/h. Freezing level 100m. Thursday: Sunny. Wind 20 to 40 km/h from the northwest. High -7. Friday: Snow at the end of the day. Wind increasing from 30 km/h to 100 km/h from the southeast at the end of the day. High -4. For more details, check out the Chic-Chocs alpine weather forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
  • Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.

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.