Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 25th, 2017 3:22PM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

Avalanche Canada cgarritty, Avalanche Canada

Continue exercising normal caution as the improved stability frees up your terrain options.

Summary

Confidence

High - The weather pattern is stable

Weather Forecast

Thursday: Mainly cloudy and no new snow. Winds light from the south. Freezing level to 800 metres with alpine temperatures of -1. Friday: Mainly cloudy. Winds moderate from the south. Freezing level to 1300 metres and alpine temperatures reaching +1. Saturday: Cloudy with sunny periods. Winds moderate gusting to strong from the south. Freezing level rising to 2200 metres with alpine temperatures to +5.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported. Continued caution is recommended in lee terrain at higher elevations where pockets of wind slab may still prove reactive. At lower elevations, temperatures exceeding zero degrees may create a loose wet avalanche problem in steeper terrain.

Snowpack Summary

At lower elevations and on solar aspects, recent warm temperatures and solar radiation have created temperature and sun crusts on the snow surface. Including 10-15 cm of new snow received over Sunday evening, the storm snow that now forms our upper snowpack totals approximately 30-40 cm at treeline elevations and above. Aside from thin pockets of wind slab lingering in lee terrain at our highest elevations, instabilities within the storm snow have largely settled out and this snows bond to the underlying surface is strong. The mid and lower snowpack are well settled and stable.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Remain cautious of wind slabs at higher elevations. Steep, unsupported pockets in immediate lee terrain are the most likely to react to a human trigger.
Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.Use caution around ledges and cliffs where small avalanches may have severe consequences.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 26th, 2017 2:00PM

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