Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Glacier.
Powder for the People!
Expect touchy avalanche conditions where slabs exist. The new snow will need some time to bond to the faceted layer it now buries.
Small sluffs in steep terrain will gather mass quickly, running fast and far.
Weather Forecast
Finally, the Arctic Air mass is bringing some joy to our lives as it mixes with the warmer Pacific Front, producing a pile of low density snow. Another 10cm of snow by Monday morning, 5-10cm over the day and an additional 5cm by Tuesday morning. Cloud and snow for Monday, alpine high of -10 with 20-35km/hr South winds at ridge top.
Snowpack Summary
20+cm of low density new snow buries a layer of faceted snow from the recent and continued cold temps. Wind slab exists in the alpine along ridge crests and open features down into tree line. The Dec 1 crust is buried 70-120cm, with faceted snow above and below it (especially in shallow areas).
Avalanche Summary
Several avalanches off of Mt. Tupper and Mt. MacDonald up to size 3 from wind loaded, steep, confined terrain. Widespread dry loose avalanches size 1-1.5 today (Sunday).
Expect avalanche activity to continue / increase throughout the duration of the storm.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Monday
Avalanche Problems
Storm Slabs
The snow is adding up and forming a storm slab over a faceted interface, which will take some time to bond. Deeper pockets of slab are found in loaded features. If triggered this layer may step down to the Dec 1 crust, resulting in a large avalanche.
- Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, or cracking.
- If triggered the storm slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 3
Loose Dry
20+cm of low density snow sits on a layer of faceted snow. This layer is easily triggered at the moment and dry loose avalanches, though light and fluffy, can run fast and far, gathering additional mass as it travels.
- Be aware of party members below you that may be exposed to your sluffs.
- Be cautious of sluffing in steep terrain, particularly where the debris flows into terrain traps.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely - Very Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2