Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 19th, 2024 4:00PM

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

Avalanche Canada lholtzman, Avalanche Canada

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Continued wind and new snow will increase the avalanche hazard in the alpine and exposed treeline. Find good snow in sheltered terrain.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday we received a few reports of natural wind slab activity up to size 1

We also received a report of a size 2 natural wind slab avalanche that stepped down to a deeper weak layer. Perhaps this is one of the buried surface hoar layers mentioned in the snowpack summary, though we haven't seen any other avalanches on those layers in the last month.

Snowpack Summary

We expect up to 20 cm of new snow by the end of day Saturday. The moderate winds and new snow will continue building new wind slabs over previous faceted wind slabs or previous hard faceted surfaces.

In sheltered areas, up to 50 cm of low density snow sits on a decomposing rain crust up to 1650 m.

Two surface hoar layers can be found buried between 60 and 90 cm deep and have become unlikely to trigger.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy, snowfall amounts up to 10 cm overnight, southeast alpine wind 30 km/h, treeline temperature -15 °C.

Saturday

Cloudy, up to 7 cm of snowfall, southwest alpine wind up to 40 km/h, treeline temperature -10 °C.

Sunday

Cloudy, trace of snow overnight with another 5 cm during the day, south alpine wind up to 20 km/h, treeline temperature -7 °C.

Monday

Mostly cloudy, up to 3cm of new snow overnight and a trace though the day, southwest wind up to 30km/h, treeline temperature -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
  • Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind exposed terrain.
  • Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Forecast storm snow and continued wind will create new windslabs over previously faceted firm surfaces.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 20th, 2024 4:00PM