Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 9th, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
zryan,
Avalanche Canada
Yesterday's storm slab is today's wind slab.
New snow, warming temperatures and increasing winds will promote slab formation. Use caution entering wind affected terrain.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Uncertainty is due to difficult to forecast freezing levels.
Weather Forecast
A noticeable shift in the weather pattern, as warm temperatures embrace the region with continued snowfall throughout the week.
Sunday Overnight: Mainly cloudy and isolated flurries. Alpine high of -2 °C. Ridge wind southwest 35 km/h gusting to 60 km/h. Freezing level at 400 metres.
Monday: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Alpine high of -1 °C. Ridge wind southwest 40 km/h gusting to 75 km/h. Freezing level around 1200 metres.
Tuesday: Snowing, up to 10 cm accumulation. Alpine high of -1 °C. Ridge wind south 30 km/h gusting to 55 km/h. Freezing level around 1000 metres.
Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud. Alpine high of -2 °C. Ridge wind west 30 km/h gusting to 75 km/h. Freezing level around 1200 metres.
Avalanche Summary
Observations have been limited. If you are out in the mountains, let us know what you see by filling out a Mountain Information Network report!
Snowpack Summary
Yesterday's storm brought up to 30 cm in areas west of Smithers, with tapering amounts to the east. Strong southwest winds will continue to redeposit this snow into wind slabs in lee areas in the alpine and treeline.Â
This storm's 10-30 cm of new snow overlies a previously wind-affected surface comprised of old hard wind slabs, sastrugi, and areas stripped back to the ground or old crusts. Near-surface faceting above the old surface may increase the reactivity of newly formed storm slabs.
The base of the snowpack is composed of crusts and weak faceted grains, particularly in thin snowpack areas. While these layers have generally gone dormant in the region, they still have the possibility of waking up with new snow load or warming, and wind slab avalanches may still have the potential to step down to these deeper layers in isolated areas.Â
Terrain and Travel
- Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
- Stay off recently wind loaded slopes until they have had a chance to stabilize.
- Seek out wind sheltered terrain below treeline where you can avoid wind slabs and find great riding.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Southwest winds will continue to redeposit new snow into wind slabs in lee areas in the alpine and treeline. Expect larger, and more reactive slabs in areas that received greater snowfall amounts in yesterday's storm.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 10th, 2022 4:00PM
