Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Blue River, Clemina, Esplanade, North Monashee, North Selkirk, Premier.
Be cautious in areas where the surface snow feels heavy and cohesive.
Storm slabs are resting on a layer of facets and may be slow to bond. Reactivity may persist longer than usual.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
On Monday, a few natural, rider and remotely triggered avalanches were reported from size 1-2. They were all storm slabs and failed on a facet layer just below the most recent storm snow.
See one of the MIN reports here.
A natural storm slab cycle was also reported on Sunday up to size 2, on all aspects and elevations. All of them also failed on a weak layer of facets.
Snowpack Summary
20 to 30 cm of surface snow is now resting on a variety of old snow surfaces including faceted snow, surface hoar and firm wind slabs in open terrain at treeline and above.
Down 60 to 80 cm a crust, facet, and/or surface hoar layer exists.
130+ cm down another surface hoar layer exists that was buried in early December. This seems to be of most concern above 2000 m where a robust crust doesn't exist above it, or in shallow snowpack areas.
Weather Summary
Tuesday Night
Cloudy with up to 3 cm of snow, southwest alpine wind 10-40 km/h, treeline temperature around -2 °C.
Wednesday
Cloudy with flurries, southwest alpine wind 20-50 km/h, treeline temperature around -1 °C, freezing level 1400 m.
Thursday
Cloudy with up to 10 cm of snow, southwest alpine wind 20-40 km/h, treeline temperature around -1 °C, freezing level 1400 m.
Friday
Cloudy with flurries, south alpine wind 10-50 km/h, treeline temperature around -2 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- In areas where deep persistent slabs may exist, avoid shallow or variable depth snowpacks and unsupported terrain features.
- Potential for wide propagation exists, fresh slabs may rest on surface hoar, facets and/or crust.
Avalanche Problems
Storm Slabs
New storm slabs have been building with continued snow and warm weather. They are resting on a weak layer of facets and in places surface hoar. This could mean they will be more reactive and slower to bond.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5
Persistent Slabs
Two weak layers of surface hoar and facets exist deeper in the snowpack.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3.5
Deep Persistent Slabs
Basal facets remain a concern in steep, rocky alpine features with thin-to-thick snowpack transitions.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 3.5