Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 18th, 2021 8:00AM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Loose Dry.
Chris Gooliaff,
Areas that have been sheltered from winds are producing some great skiing right now.
Heads up in terrain that has seen wind, though. Fresh wind slabs in lee features may "pop" under a person while they drop into their line.
Summary
Weather Forecast
A mix of sun and cloud over the next few days, with a weak pulse of snow/wind Tues evening.
Today: sun/cloud, Alp high -10*C, light/mod NW winds at ridge-top
Tues: increasing cloud, brief spike of wx in pm with 5-10cm snow and mod/strong SW winds, Alp high -9*C
Wed: sun/cloud with isolated flurries, Alp high -10*C, light to gusting strong SW winds
Snowpack Summary
15-20cm covers a thin surface crust on steep solar aspects. Wind slab in Alp/TL lee features. The Jan 10 surface hoar is down 35-65cm in sheltered terrain at tree-line and below and is capped by a thin freezing rain crust in some locations. The Dec 7th surface hoar/crust/facet layer is down 1.5m. Crusts with facets at the base of the snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
Isolated wind slab releases to sz 2.5 were observed from extreme terrain on Macdonald/Tupper yesterday/overnight with the spike in the S'ly winds.
Loose/dry sluffing was observed by a field team in steep (45*), sheltered below tree-line features.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Moderate S'ly winds have been blowing for the last 36hrs, forming soft wind slabs in the immediate lee features at alpine and tree-line elevations. If ridge features like cornices have sharp edges to them, be suspect of their fragility.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Dry
15-20cm of new snow overlays a sun crust on steep solar aspects, and surface facets on northerly aspects. If triggered, these avalanches may run quickly and gather enough mass to push around a skier or rider.
- Avoid terrain traps, such as gullies, where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 19th, 2021 8:00AM
