Avalanche forecast

Northwest Inland

Dec 24 – 25, 2012Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 14 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–4
    Watch for wind slabs behind ridges and terrain breaks. These could be triggered by the weight of a person or snowmobile.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–5
    A deeply buried facet/crust weakness exists on a widespread basis. This layer could be triggered by large loads such as a cornice collapse or from a thin-spot trigger point.

Confidence

Fair - Due to limited field observations

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: Strong SE winds. Alpine temp -11. No precipitation.Wednesday: Light SE winds. Alpine temp -9. No precipitation.Thursday: Light SW winds. Alpine temp -8. Light snow.

Avalanche Summary

A size 2 glide slab released on an east aspect during the weekend. No other recent avalanches have been reported.

Snowpack Summary

Wind slabs and cornices have developed on a fairly widespread basis and may be found in locations lee to NE, E and SE winds. Spotty surface hoar was buried in the upper snowpack in sheltered treeline areas, although little is known about its reactivity. Professionals are still mindful of a facet/crust layer near the base of the snowpack. Although triggering it has become unlikely, it may be possible with a very heavy load (e.g. cornice fall) or from a thin-spot trigger point. Continuing cold temperatures will do little to increase the strength of the snowpack.

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