Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 11th, 2018 5:06PM

The alpine rating is high, the treeline rating is high, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Storm Slabs.

Avalanche Canada cgarritty, Avalanche Canada

Huge winds are expected to maintain very dangerous avalanche conditions even as snowfall eases off somewhat on Wednesday. This pattern repeats itself over the week.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Weather Forecast

Tuesday night: Cloudy with continuing flurries bringing 10-20 cm of new snow. Strong to extreme southwest winds.Wednesday: Cloudy with continuing snowfall bringing around 15-20 cm of new snow. Strong to Extreme southwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -5. Another round of snowfall giving 20-30 cm overnight.Thursday: Cloudy with continuing snowfall bringing another 10-20 cm of new snow. Extreme southwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -4. Flurries continuing overnight.Friday: Cloudy with continuing flurries bringing another 10-20 cm of new snow. Extreme southeast winds. Alpine high temperatures increasing to around -1 as freezing levels rise to a possible 1500 metres.

Avalanche Summary

While we don't have recent reports, natural storm slab avalanche activity is almost certainly occurring during the barrage of storms hitting the region.

Snowpack Summary

Another 20-30 cm of new snow expected by the end of Wednesday should bring storm totals from the past few days up to about 60-110 cm. Extreme southwest and west winds are likely to likely form the thickest deposits on lee slopes at high elevations.The new snow is likely bonding poorly to the weak surface hoar and facets that have been sitting on the surface for the past week, especially on sheltered slopes at treeline. Deeper in the snowpack, there are reports of several crusts including an early season crust with facets near the bottom of the snowpack.Prior to the storms, there was only 70-120 cm of snow in the alpine and very little coverage below treeline, but this is finally changing.

Problems

Storm Slabs

An icon showing Storm Slabs
Natural and human triggered avalanches will be very likely at higher elevations as the storm rages on. Depths are gradually reaching threshold for avalanches at lower elevations while increasing slab depths also begin to threaten lower runout zones.
Seek shelter, extreme wind will make hostile conditions.Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach run out zones.Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy snowfall and wind.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Very Likely - Certain

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Valid until: Dec 12th, 2018 2:00PM

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