Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 4th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
ahanna,
Avalanche Canada
6am update: New snow may be poorly bonded to old surfaces. Expect loose dry sluffing and storm slabs to slide easily. Be mindful a buried weak layer may remain triggerable.
Summary
Confidence
Avalanche Summary
A few small (size 1) wind slab and dry loose avalanches were triggered by riders and explosives on Tuesday. With incoming snow and wind, small avalanches in the surface snow will likely continue.
The last reported persistent slab avalanche on the buried surface hoar was last Saturday. Triggering a persistent slab avalanche remains possible in upper treeline and alpine terrain.
Snowpack Summary
New snow is gradually accumulating over crusts, surface hoar, and facets. Amounts on this interface vary from 10 to 30 cm, and reports suggest it may be bonding poorly.
A crust formed by a December rain event is found roughly 60 cm deep, and a layer of surface hoar is found 60 to 100 cm deep. Where it exists, the crust makes it harder to trigger the surface hoar layer, but triggering remains a concern at higher elevations where the crust is less prominent.
The lower snowpack is variable throughout the region, with basal facets possible in shallower snowpack areas.
Weather Summary
Thursday night
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of new snow in most areas, up to 20 cm in the Monashees, alpine wind southwest 40 km/h, treeline temperature -7 °C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with up to 5 cm of new snow, alpine wind southwest 40 km/h, treeline temperature -4 °C.
Saturday
Cloudy with 5 to 15 cm of new snow, alpine wind southwest 35 km/h, treeline temperature -5 °C.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with a trace of new snow, alpine wind northwest 20 km/h, treeline temperature -6 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.
- Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't formed a slab.
- Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
- Carefully assess open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
Problems
Storm Slabs
New and recent snow may slide easily where poorly bonded to old surfaces. Likely trigger points include deeper deposits of new snow in wind-loaded terrain features.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
A layer of surface hoar buried 60 to 100 cm deep is likely becoming harder to trigger.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 5th, 2024 4:00PM
