Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 6th, 2014 8:18AM
The alpine rating is Wind Slabs.
, the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems includeSummary
Confidence
Fair - Wind effect is extremely variable
Weather Forecast
Tonight and Friday: The ridge bringing cold and dry conditions is still present but is weakening. A weak disturbance over the region is generating a chance of precipitation overnight. Expect light to moderate NE winds and temperatures around -10 C.Saturday:Â Sky is expected to clear again, light winds from the E and temperatures around -9 C.Sunday: Very similar situation is forecasted for Sunday except wind speed increasing from the NW.
Avalanche Summary
There has been several reports of skier triggered slab avalanches size 1 lee of recent Easterly winds and of loose dry avalanches in steep terrain.
Snowpack Summary
Recent strong E winds have scoured windward alpine faces and created hard windslabs on lee and cross-loaded features in the alpine and at treeline. The windslab problem is sticking around longer than usual because of the prolonged cold temperatures and because the windslabs are sitting on a widespread surface hoar layer or on a suncrust on S facing slopes. Hence, the windslabs or loose snow in sheltered terrain are still reactive to skier traffic. The mid snowpack is strong and supportive. Deeper persistent layers have become unlikely to trigger, although large and destructive avalanches are still possible in isolated terrain with the right input such as a cornice fall or a heavy load over a thin spot in steep terrain.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 7th, 2014 2:00PM