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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 3rd, 2022–Feb 4th, 2022

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

Regions

Northwest Inland.

Wind slabs at upper elevations remain the primary concern. They may be easily triggered due to a weak bond with underlying surfaces.

Confidence

Moderate - Recent weather patterns have resulted in a high degree of snowpack variability within the region.

Weather Forecast

Thursday night: 5-10 cm new snow. Strong SW wind. Freezing levels rising to 500 m. 

Friday: 5-10 cm new snow. Strong SW wind. Freezing level rising to 1300 m near Smithers, around 500 m north of Kispiox.

Saturday: Mix of sun and cloud. Moderate to strong W wind. Freezing level 1300 m near Smithers, rising to 1000 m north of Kispiox.

Sunday: Mix of sun and cloud in the south of the region. Snowfall in the north. Strong SW wind. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.

Avalanche Summary

Loose dry up to size 1 and soft wind slabs up to size 1.5 were reactive naturally and to ski cuts on Thursday.

Snowpack Summary

20-30 cm of recent snow has accumulated over a variety of surfaces including facets, surface hoar, hard slab and in the southwest part of the region, a rain crust up to 1500 m. In wind loaded pockets, slabs may be reactive due to a poor bond with these underlying surfaces. In exposed alpine areas in the Telkwas, extensive wind effect has created supportive, hard surfaces.

Below this we have two persistent weak layers, the first is a surface hoar layer from mid-January buried down 20 to 30cm. The second is a layer of facets from early January which is now down 50 to 80cm, it has been most reactive where wind slab has formed above it and will now likely require a large load to trigger.

Terrain and Travel

  • Storm snow and wind is forming touchy slabs. Use caution in lee areas in the alpine and treeline.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
  • Potential for wide propagation exists, fresh slabs may rest on surface hoar, facets and/or 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.

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.