Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Babine, Boundary, East Stikine, Hudson Bay, Kispiox, Microwave-Sinclair, Ningunsaw, North Bulkley, Northwest Inland, South Bulkley, Telkwa, West Stikine.
New snow and wind are increasing the chance of triggering deeper weak layers. As the storm slab problem gets trickier the solution is to seek out more conservative terrain to ride.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Several avalanche reports and reactive snowpack tests through the week have indicated that storm slabs and persistent avalanches are a concern. On Friday skiers in the Blunt Range were able to ski cut size 1 slabs on north facing slopes and reported a lot of whumpfing and shooting cracks.
Looking forward to Saturday, new snow and wind are making it more likely for a large avalanche to be triggered by a human.
Snowpack Summary
Expect to find 20 to 35 cm of soft, fresh snow in sheltered areas. Moderate to strong winds may be forming fresh, reactive slabs in leeward terrain.
The new snow covers wind-affected snow or crusts. At lower elevations below treeline, the upper snowpack may be moist or wet.
There are a variety of weak layers in the upper snowpack that could produce larger avalanches. Most concerning is a layer of weak, faceted crystals sitting on a crust 40 to 80 cm below the snow surface, seen in the snow profile photo below.
The lower snowpack is generally well-bonded and strong.
Weather Summary
Friday Night
Cloudy. 2 to 8 cm of snow expected. 30 to 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline low around -4 °C.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 0 to 2 cm of snow expected. 30 km/h westerly ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around -5 °C.
Sunday
Cloudy. 0 to 3 cm of snow expected. 40 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature around -3 °C.
Monday
Mostly cloudy. 0 to 2 cm of snow expected. 30 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline high around -1 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Storm snow and wind is forming touchy slabs. Use caution in lee areas in the alpine and treeline.
- Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
- Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
- Remote triggering is a concern, watch out for adjacent and overhead slopes.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
A layer of buried surface hoar or weak, sugary facets overlying a crust have the potential to create large avalanches if triggered.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1.5 - 3
Storm Slabs
While storm slabs require caution on all aspects, they are expected to be deeper and more reactive on north and east facing features near ridgetops.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2