Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 10th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Persistent Slabs and Wind Slabs.
mhalik,
Avalanche Canada
Use caution on steep, open slopes where buried weak layers may exist.
Forecast temperatures are for extreme cold; read this blog on managing cold weather.
Summary
Confidence
Avalanche Summary
Wednesday The field team experienced shooting cracks ski cutting a wind-loaded southwest-facing alpine slope. They also saw several small wind slabs on similar slopes that were a few days old.
Tuesday The field team experienced whumpfing on a north-facing ridge near Hazelton.
Monday Near Kispiox, several size 1 to 1.5 persistent slabs were triggered by vehicles. These avalanches mainly occurred at treeline and failed on a weak layer of surface hoar.
Snowpack Summary
15 to 20 cm of recent storm snow is sitting on a rain crust up to 1650 m. At upper elevations, recent north and easterly winds have built wind slabs on south through westerly faces in the alpine.
Two or more preserved surface hoar layers can be found buried between 35 and 70 cm deep. These layers are most prominent at treeline and below treeline elevations above 1200 m, but they've also been observed in some alpine locations.
Snowpack depths at treeline vary across the region with generally deeper amounts (150 to 120 cm) west of the highway, and shallower (50 to 90 cm) to the east.
Weather Summary
Wednesday Night
Skies clearing overnight with no new snow, northeasterly alpine wind 5-15 km/h, treeline temperatures drop to -32 ºC.
Thursday
Mainly sunny with no new snow, northeasterly alpine wind 5-15 km/h, treeline temperature high of -27 ºC.
Friday
Mainly sunny with no new snow, northeasterly alpine wind 10 km/h, treeline temperature high of -26 ºC.
Saturday
A mix of sun and cloud, no new snow, northwesterly alpine wind 35 km/h, treeline temperature high of -24 ºC.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
- Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
- Carefully assess open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
Several buried surface hoar layers may be found 35 to 70 cm deep. These layers are a problem at elevations above 1200 m. They do not seem to be an issue in the alpine on south through west faces.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Wind Slabs
Recent north and easterly winds have built wind slabs in atypical places in the alpine.
Aspects: East, South East, South, South West, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 11th, 2024 4:00PM
