Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 1st, 2020 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs.
astclair,
Avalanche Canada
Thursday may offer some calm before the next powerful storm promises heavy rain... unless it arrives sooner than anticipated.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the timing of the incoming weather system.
Weather Forecast
Wednesday night: Partly cloudy, moderate northwest winds, alpine temperatures near -2 C, freezing levels dropping to 500 m.
Thursday: Increasing cloud, 5-10 cm of snow, moderate southwest winds, alpine high temperatures near -1 C, freezing levels near 500 m jumping to 2000 m as the next storm system moves in in the early evening.
Friday: Cloudy, 60 mm of precipitation falling as heavy rain with freezing levels near 2000 m, strong southwest winds, alpine high temperatures near 5 C.
Saturday: Cloudy with another pulse of precipitation dropping an additional 40 mm as rain changing to snow as freezing levels drop to 700 m by mid-day, moderate southwest winds, alpine high temperatures near 3 C.
Avalanche Summary
No avalanches have been reported in the region. Forecast weather is expected maintain a low danger scenario in all but the region's highest alpine areas given the anticipated timing of the incoming storm.
Snowpack Summary
Substantial amounts of rain have soaked the existing snowpack up to 2000 m. Given the recent cooling trend, the avalanche hazard trend has decreased. In region's highest alpine areas, snowfall may have formed slabs that could still be possible to trigger.
Snowpack depths near treeline range from 140-180 cm, and the snowpack diminishes rapidly with elevation.
Terrain and Travel
- Carefully evaluate bigger terrain features on an individual basis before committing to them.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Recent snowfall at high elevations further north in the region may have formed storm slabs that could still be reactive in isolated areas. This storm slab problem could be more pronounced in areas where the snow has been drifted and stiffened by wind. New snowfall is not expected to be a factor tomorrow, unless the incoming storm arrives sooner than anticipated.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 2nd, 2020 5:00PM
