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Avalanche Forecast

Jan 30th, 2014–Jan 31st, 2014
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
Alpine
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be low
Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: South Coast.

30 cm of dry new snow in the South of the region may be reverse loaded by building Northerly winds. Watch for pockets of wind slab.

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Overnight and Friday: A few more cm of snow above 500 metres elevation overnight. Mostly clear with no precipitation during the day. Alpine temperatures around -12 C. Light Northwest winds with strong Northerly outflow winds in large valleys.Saturday: Mix of sun and cloud with light Westerly winds and alpine temperatures around -10 C.Sunday: Mostly cloudy with very light precipitation and light Northwest winds. Alpine temperatures around -17 C.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported. Expect some sloughing from steep terrain.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 30 cm of new snow has fallen in the past 24 hours on the Southern inland highway passes. This new snow is sitting on a hard melt-freeze crust that developed after the recent record warm alpine temperatures. Warm temperatures at the beginning of the storm have created a good bond between the new snow and the crust; the new snow dried out as temperatures dropped during the storm and created a "right side up" snowpack. Reports from the Coquihalla tell us that there was a narrow band of surface hoar on North aspects below treeline before the new snow arrived. Only about 10 cm has fallen in the North of the region where more widespread surface hoar and near surface facetting was found before the thin layer of cold dry snow arrived.  There continues to be a concern for deeply buried layers of weak facetted crystals, this is mostly a concern on slopes with a shallow and variable snowpack in the Duffey Lake and Chilcotin areas.

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

Dry light new snow may be reverse loaded onto Southerly aspects by the developing Northerly winds.
Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible - Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deeply buried weak layers of facetted crystals continue to be a concern on slopes with a shallow snowpack.
Be aware of the potential for large, deep avalanches.>Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Unlikely

Expected Size: 3 - 6