Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Sea To Sky.
Confidence
Moderate - Wind effect is extremely variable
Weather Forecast
TUESDAY: Sunny, light north wind, alpine high temperatures around -12 C.WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries, moderate north wind, alpine high temperatures around -10 C. THURSDAY: Mostly sunny, moderate north wind, alpine high temperatures around -10 C.
Avalanche Summary
Several small wind slabs (size 1) were reported in alpine terrain on Sunday, including a few that ran on buried sun crusts that were up to 60 cm deep on west and south aspects. The wind slabs were reactive to skier and explosive triggers.Triggering wind slabs will remain possible throughout the upcoming week.
Snowpack Summary
In exposed terrain, strong north winds have scoured north facing slopes and loaded south facing slopes. In sheltered terrain, cold weather is preserving 30-40 cm of low density snow. A crust layer can be found beneath the storm snow on sun-exposed slopes and below 1900 m, which has supported some wide propagations in recent storm slab avalanches. Deeper in the snowpack, avalanche professionals are still monitoring the mid-January crust. This layer is now 150-200 cm deep, but a heavy trigger (cornice?) or the next major storm could potentially wake up this layer.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5
Cornices
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5