Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 9th, 2016 7:31AM

The alpine rating is low, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

pmarshall, Avalanche Canada

Sea To Sky.

It is a good time to tackle bigger objectives, but keep your guard up. Avalanches are still possible in LOW danger.

Summary

Confidence

High - The weather pattern is stable

Weather Forecast

Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud. The freezing level is around 800-1000 m. Winds are light. Monday: Sunny with increasing cloud late in the day. The freezing level is around 800-1000 m with a above freezing layer near ridge top. Winds are light. Tuesday: Cloudy with periods of snow. The freezing level is near 1000 m and winds increase to moderate or strong from the S-SW.

Avalanche Summary

A few small natural and rider-triggered wind slab avalanches up to size 1.5 were reported on Thursday and Friday. These were from steep East-facing slopes immediately lee of ridges.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 20 cm of dry snow sits on a variety of old surfaces including a melt-freeze crust on solar aspects in the alpine, smooth old snow on higher elevation lee slopes, and well-developed surface hoar in sheltered areas at treeline and lower elevations. This dry surface snow is capped by a sun crust on steep solar aspects or a fresh layer of surface hoar on sheltered and shady slopes. Variable winds have created soft wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded terrain in alpine areas. The mid and lower snowpack is generally strong.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Small wind slabs may be sensitive to rider triggering in steep and unsupported lee and cross-loaded terrain.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 10th, 2016 2:00PM