Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 7th, 2014 8:00AM

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

ali haeri, Parks Canada

Glacier.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Lull between storms today with light flurries and cooler temperatures with more clearing tomorrow. A significant pacific frontal system will approach the interior tomorrow night bringing moderate to heavy precipitation with rising freezing levels and associated strong southwest winds into Tuesday and Wednesday.

Snowpack Summary

15-20cm of recent storm snow is over the Dec 5 surface hoar/facet layer and sun crust on steep solar aspects. This new snow sits over a breakable crust below 1600m. The Nov 21 and Nov 9 persistent weak layers are buried down ~100 and ~130cm. Snowpack tests indicate triggering the Nov 21 layer as less likely but fracture character is sudden planar.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed yesterday.

Confidence

Due to the quality of field observations

Problems

Storm Slabs

Recent storm snow may be sitting on good sliding surfaces such as surface hoar and crust. The winds picked up overnight so watch out for areas that may be wind loaded.

Avoid freshly wind loaded features.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

Trigger points for the persistent weak layers buried down ~1m and ~1.3m include steep alpine terrain, thin areas, and unsupported open slopes.

Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Valid until: Dec 8th, 2014 8:00AM