Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 23rd, 2019 4:20PM

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

swerner, Avalanche Canada

North Columbia.

The recent snow continues to be touchy to human triggers, especially where a more cohesive slab exists above the weak interface. Areas that may catch you by surprise are open slopes, cutblocks and gullies at treeline and below.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries and moderate westerly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperatures near -6 and freezing levels rising to 700 m.Friday: Cloudy with isolated flurries and gusty northwest ridgetop winds. Alpine temperatures high of -5 and freezing levels 1000 m. Saturday: Mix of sun and cloud with strong westerly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperatures high of +1 and freezing levels rising to 2500 m.

Avalanche Summary

On Tuesday, reports of numerous storm slab avalanches up to size 2 were easily triggered by people. These storm slabs were touchy between 1600m - 1800 m where they sit above the buried surface hoar and crust interface.

Snowpack Summary

20-35 cm of snow sits above a layer of large surface hoar crystals and sun crust. In areas that have had wind effect the recent snow has been settling into a thin but reactive slab above this weak layer, with enhanced reactivity noted at elevations between 1500-1800 metres. In sheltered areas the snow lacks cohesion above this layer and is only reactive as dry loose sluffing. Forecast warmer temperatures will likely change this and promote increased slab properties later this week.The middle and lower portions of the snowpack are generally well-settled and strong.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

20-35 cm of snow sits above a weak interface of surface hoar and sun crust. Where the snow has formed a cohesive slab it is reactive to human triggering, especially between 1500m-1800m. Sluffing can be expected where there is not a slab.

Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, cracking and recent avalanches..Be cautious around open terrain features, such as cutblocks, gullies, and cutbanks.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 24th, 2019 2:00PM