Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 30th, 2012 9:07AM

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

pgoddard, Avalanche Canada

Kootenay Boundary.

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Monday-Wednesday: Expect benign weather with light winds, alpine temperatures around -5 and no precipitation.

Avalanche Summary

Small skier-triggered wind slabs and loose snow sluffing have been reported.

Snowpack Summary

Wind slabs may be found behind terrain breaks such as ridges, ribs and gully walls. A generally settled upper snowpack overlies the late November surface hoar, buried down 115-130 cm. Recent test results are inconsistent, but an avalanche failed on this layer in the Rossland Range on Christmas Eve. A deeply buried crust/facet layer near the base of the snowpack is considered dormant. Although unlikely, there is a lingering possibility of triggering a deep avalanche, especially from thin snowpack areas.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs may be found behind ridges, ribs and gully walls. In specific thin snowpack areas, it may be possible for a wind slab to trigger a failure on a deeply buried weak layer.

Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.>Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.>Be aware of thin areas that may propagate to deeper instabilites.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Valid until: Dec 31st, 2012 2:00PM