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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 19th, 2025–Jan 20th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Northwest Inland, Boundary, Stewart, Kispiox, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw.

Weak layers remain sensitive to human triggering, producing large avalanches.

Avoid exposure to large, open slopes - including overhead hazard.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday explosive, natural and remotely triggered avalanches continued, producing size 2 to 3 avalanches. Several triggered as wind slabs on steep slopes, before stepping down to the December crust/facets/surface hoar. Activity was concentrated on northwest through east face slopes at treeline and above.

Natural activity will likely continue to decrease, but the snowpack is expected to remain primed for human triggering.

Snowpack Summary

Light snowfall will bury a layer of surface hoar in sheltered areas. Previous storm accumulations of up to 80 cm were heavily wind affected by west/southwest winds in exposed areas.

A layer of surface hoar, facets, or a thin crust is buried 30 to 60 cm deep at upper elevations.

Buried 100 to 200 cm deep is the current layer of concern - surface hoar, facets, and a crust. This layer produced large natural avalanches during the recent storm and continues to be very reactive to triggers.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Increasing cloud. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.

Monday

Cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow. 40 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.

Tuesday

Partly cloudy. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.

Wednesday

Cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Keep in mind that human triggering may persist as natural avalanches taper off.
  • Remote triggering is a concern; avoid terrain where triggering overhead slopes is possible.
  • Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
  • Avoid freshly wind-loaded terrain features.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.