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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 9th, 2012–Jan 10th, 2012

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

Regions

South Coast.

Confidence

Good - -1

Weather Forecast

A ridge of high pressure sets up over this region for Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing dry, clear weather. Treeline temperatures will hover around -8 to -10C. Winds should be generally light from the north. On Thursday, clouds will start to build ahead of a relatively weak frontal system, winds will shift round to the west and temperatures will increase to around -2C. Flurries are possible, more likely it will stay dry.

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches have been reported recently from this region.

Snowpack Summary

The upper snowpack comprises a series of storm snow layers, which have generally bonded well to each other and are now gaining strength. Rain to approximately 1800 m has left behind a moist surface layer--expect this to freeze into a crust as temperatures start to fall. In the alpine, above the elevation where rain fell, significant new wind slabs have developed in response to very strong southwesterly winds. Concern for lower snowpack layers remains only in low snowpack areas, such as the east side of the Duffy or in the Chilcotins. Surface hoar and/or facets associated with a crust from mid-December and/or sugary facets at the base of the snowpack could be a concern in sheltered treeline areas that are unusually shallow or on slopes where you can see rocks poking up out of the snow.

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.