Avalanche forecast

South Rockies

Jan 14 – 15, 2012Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Conditions vary across the region. Check the 'forecast details' tab for more info.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–4
    Strong winds have redistributed snow onto mainly northeast and east aspects.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–6
    At least two distinct surface hoar layers lie buried up to 90 cm below the snow surface. Triggering these layers has become difficult and isolated to steep, shallow rocky start zones; however the destructive potential is high.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Loose dry new snow is likely to sluff easily in steep terrain.

Avalanche Summary

A smattering of avalanches involving persistent weak layers occurred throughout the region earlier in the week, on north-east aspects at treeline and above. No avalanche activity on these layers has been reported since Wednesday, however the possibility lingers.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack in the South Rockies region varies considerably at present, with the Southern Elk Valley and Flathead Ranges close in nature to the Lizard Range. Near the Crowsnest, it's been drier and more consistently windy. Castle Mountain has been having its own little party and getting locally heavy snowfall. Anywhere from 4-30cm of new snow has fallen, redistributed by strong south-westerly winds into soft and hard wind slabs on lee slopes. Besides new storm/wind-related concerns, the layer we're still watching in the region is a surface hoar layer buried in early December. It's down about 85cm in the Flathead and exhibits hard, sudden planar/full propagation results, meaning that's it's stubborn to trigger but could create a large avalanche if triggered.At the bottom of the snowpack a variable facet/crust/facet sandwich is located with depth hoar up to size 5mm below the crust, and facets size 2mm above. There has been little in the way of recent activity on basal layers.

Confidence

Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Sunday: Cold with periods of light snow, amounting to perhaps 6cm. Strong westerly winds turning to light north-easterlies. Monday/Tuesday: Cloudy in the valleys with occasional snow. Strong northerly to easterly winds. Cold.

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