Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 10th, 2012 6:50AM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Cornices.

Avalanche Canada jfloyer, Avalanche Canada

Summary

Confidence

Good - -1

Weather Forecast

Saturday: Should stay dry with clouds and light winds that will pick up in the afternoon. Freezing level around 900 m. Overnight Saturday: light precipitation with 5-10 mm expected. Strong southerly winds. Sunday: Lingering flurries, otherwise dry with high pressure building. Freezing level around 700 m. Monday: Dry and sunny. Light winds.

Avalanche Summary

Isolated cornice releases have been reported from this region that have mostly not triggered a slab on the slope below. One that did pull a slab was from Monday or Tuesday this week, and was suspected to have released down to the Jan-20 facet layer.

Snowpack Summary

Approximately 5 cm of new snow at treeline and above has buried a surface hoar layer (crystal size reported to be 1-4 mm) lying on old surfaces comprising crusts and variable wind slabs. The crusts formed in response to successive melt-freeze cycles and are harder and thicker the lower in elevation you go. The wind slabs were deposited on a variety of aspects and are becoming increasingly stubborn and difficult to trigger. Deeper within the snowpack, a facet layer buried around Jan 20th is the greatest concern. This layer lies approximately 110-140 cm below the surface and still exhibits hard, sudden planar results in isolated snowpack tests. Avalanches have occasionally been failing on this layer with large triggers such as cornices.

Problems

Cornices

An icon showing Cornices
Large cornices are looming over some slopes, and could act as a trigger for large, deep avalanches if they collapse.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

3 - 6

Valid until: Feb 11th, 2012 3:00AM