Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 22nd, 2020 5:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
MBender,
Avalanche Canada
Lingering thick and hard wind slabs are now obscured by low density new snow. A slow accumulation of new snow toward the end of the week combined with southerly winds will promote fresh wind slab development.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain. Uncertainty is due to the extreme variability of wind effect on the snowpack.
Weather Forecast
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries, light to moderate wind from the southwest, alpine high temperatures around -10 C.
THURSDAY: Cloudy with scattered flurries, accumulation 2-5 cm, moderate wind from the southwest, alpine high temperatures around -9 C.
FRIDAY: Flurries, accumulation 5-15 cm, light to moderate wind from the south, alpine high temperatures around -8 C.
SATURDAY: Scattered flurries, accumulation 5 cm, light wind from the south, alpine high temperatures around -11 C.
Avalanche Summary
There have been no reports of avalanche activity in the past few days.
Snowpack Summary
10-15 cm of new snow may now obscuring widespread wind effect from last week when the wind ravaged the surface snow, stripping away snow in exposed terrain and depositing it in lee terrain features. Lingering buried hard wind slabs may still be found. The prolonged cold temperatures have faceted the upper snowpack and there has even been some surface hoar that possibly had a chance to develop in the trees. Snow depths at White Pass average around 150 cm; deeper locations (higher terrain west of the highway) have as much as 200 cm. It's reasonable to expect a thin snowpack with sugary facets in the Wheaton Valley, although we don't yet have observations to confirm this.
Terrain and Travel
- Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.
- Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
- Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
- Avoid slopes that sound hollow or drum-like.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Thick and hard wind slabs from last week's wind event are now obscured and may still be possible to trigger. Typically these hard wind slabs are difficult to trigger, but if you do they result in a high consequence avalanche. Expect to see fresh slabs develop as new snow accumulates and the wind picks up again.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 23rd, 2020 2:00PM
