Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 30th, 2017 4:03PM

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

shorton, Avalanche Canada

Sea To Sky.

A week of cold clear weather. Watch for wind slabs lingering at higher elevations.

Summary

Confidence

High - The weather pattern is stable

Weather Forecast

Cool clear weather all week. Sunny with 30 km/h northeast winds and treeline temperatures around -8 C.

Avalanche Summary

Small wind slabs were reactive to human triggers on northerly aspects over the weekend (in the size 1-1.5 range). Wind slabs may continue to be reactive in the lee of exposed terrain at higher elevations.

Snowpack Summary

Strong winds and 5-15 cm of new snow over the weekend have formed fresh wind slabs in the lee of exposed terrain. The new snow sits above a thin breakable sun crust and isolated pockets of surface hoar, potentially creating weak interfaces for wind slabs to propagate along. Old lingering wind slabs may also exist in the immediate lee of ridges. A total of 60-120 cm of settled storm snow now forms the upper snowpack and is well generally bonded to a crust below. The exception may be thin rocky areas. The mid and lower snowpack are generally well settled, but still feature a number of facet and crust layers that warrant long term monitoring.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Watch for pockets of wind slabs on exposed features near ridge crests and cross-loaded gullies.

Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.Avoid steep convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 31st, 2017 2:00PM