Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 14th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
ejones,
Avalanche Canada
Use caution when transitioning into wind-affected terrain.
Summary
Confidence
Avalanche Summary
Recent reports are limited.
Several small natural wind slab avalanches have been reported in the alpine on lee slopes (south aspects). Skiers felt whumping and produced shooting cracks on the same features. More details here.
Layers of buried surface hoar continue to produce planar fractures in snowpack testing near Kispiox.
Snowpack Summary
In the alpine, recent north winds may have built wind slabs on south facing slopes.
In sheltered areas, 15 to 20 cm of recent storm snow sits on a rain crust up to 1650 m. This crust skis well to about 1200 m, below this it becomes breakable.
Two preserved surface hoar layers can be found buried between 35 and 80 cm deep. These layers are most prominent at treeline and below treeline elevations, above 1200 m. They've also been observed in north- and east-facing alpine locations.
Snowpack depths at treeline vary across the region with generally deeper amounts (150 to 120 cm) west of the highway, and shallower (50 to 90 cm) to the east.
Weather Summary
Sunday Night
Mostly clear with no new snow, northwest alpine wind 10 to 30 km/h, treeline temperatures -20 ºC.
Monday
Partly cloudy with a trace of new snow late in the day, northwest alpine wind 20 to 40 km/h, treeline temperatures -12 ºC.
Tuesday
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of new snow, northwest alpine wind 30 to 50 km/h, treeline temperatures -15 ºC.
Wednesday
Partly cloudy with no new snow, northeast alpine wind 50 to 70 km/h, treeline temperatures -15 ºC.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
- Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
- Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Recent north and easterly winds have built wind slabs in atypical places in the alpine.
Aspects: North East, East, South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
Several buried surface hoar layers may be found 35 to 70 cm deep.
These layers exist at elevations above 1200 m.
These layers do not seem to be an issue on previously wind-scoured terrain in the alpine, like south and west faces.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 15th, 2024 4:00PM
