Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 4th, 2013 8:43AM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

ccampbell, Avalanche Canada

Northwest Coastal.

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Summary

Confidence

Poor - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

Thursday: Mainly sunny. Treeline temperatures should hover between -5 and -10 and Alpine winds remain moderate to strong from the North. Friday and Saturday: Mainly sunny. Temperatures could drop slightly and northerly outflow winds continue.

Avalanche Summary

Recent observations near Shames include a few natural wind slab avalanche up to Size 3 in steep lee and cross-loaded terrain from northerly outflow winds.

Snowpack Summary

Around 40 cm of recent storm snow may still need some time to bond to the previous snow surface, especially where it sits on a crust. In the Shames area on Sunday a layer of preserved stellars were giving easy to moderate but sudden planar compression test results. Northerly outflow winds are forming fresh wind slabs in exposed lee terrain and scouring windward terrain. Below approximately 1000m surface hoar is growing on sheltered slopes, while surface snow on steep sun-exposed slopes is becoming moist with daytime warming. Average snowpack depths near treeline are around a metre with the bottom half being a crust.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Outflow winds are reverse-loading and cross-loading exposed slopes. Fresh and touchy wind slabs are likely lurking below ridge crests and behind terrain features.

Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>Avoid travelling in areas that have been reverse loaded by winds.>Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Valid until: Dec 5th, 2013 2:00PM