Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 31st, 2023 2:30PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
jfmichaud,
Avalanche Canada
After a day without wind on tuesday (or almost ...), there is still snow available for transport in the mountains. Beware of the new wind slabs, they are more sensitive during their formation.
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Summary
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed or reported
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Snowpack Summary
The light density snow that fell over the last few days will be carried by northwest winds to settle on the leeward aspects. It will be added to the 20 to 50 cm of slightly denser snow on the January 18 crust. This snow, which is very pleasant to ski, is found in areas protected from the wind, particularly below the treeline and on the edges of trees at the treeline.A great deal of spatial variability is found in the alpine and treeline, from soft surface slabs, to wind-affected snow, to crust or rock.Facetted grains are developing on the January 18 crust, but no avalanche activity has yet been observed in connection with this interface. Below the January 18 crust is 15-20 cm of snow, generally well packed, overlying facetted grains from the decomposition of the January 2 melt-freeze crust. This interface rests on a mixture of laminated crusts and facetted grains at the base of the snowpack.In general, the height of the snowpack varies from 60 to 80 cm in the valley to 100 to 140 cm in the mid-mountain.
Weather Summary
Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits.
Synopsis: Cold weather continues before a small low pressure system moves in on ThursdayTuesday evening and night: Partly cloudy. Wind northwest, 30 to 50 km/h. Low -24. Wednesday: Alternating sun and clouds. Wind 30 to 40 km/h from the southwest. High -16. Thursday: Snow in the evening and night, 5 cm. Wind 30 to 40 km/h from the southwest. High -13. Friday: Sunny. Wind 50 to 70 km/h. High -30.
For more details, check the Alpine Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
- Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
Problems
Wind Slabs
The northwest, then southwest wind will blow the low density snow available for transport, continuing the formation of wind slabs on the leeward slopes and cross-loaded features. The underlying old wind slabs are showing signs of stabilization. However, they may be resting on top of the January 18 ice crust, on which facetted grains are developing, which could be a good favourable slide plane for avalanches. Be careful where the snowpack is thinner on this crust.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 1st, 2023 3:00PM
