Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 17th, 2017 3:59PM
The alpine rating is Storm Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
, the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems includeThe best riding right now is probably on high north aspects, which is also where the hazard is the highest. Don't let your guard down when searching for fresh powder.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain
Weather Forecast
SATURDAY: Cloudy with flurries bringing another 5-10 cm overnight, light winds and freezing levels around 1300 m.SUNDAY: Cloudy with light flurries, light southerly winds and freezing levels around 1400 m.MONDAY: Cloudy with light flurries bringing another 5-10 cm, moderate southwesterly wind and freezing level around 1400 m.
Avalanche Summary
Reports from Thursday and Friday morning include natural, ski-cut and explosives controlled 15-40 cm thick storm and wind slab avalanches up to Size 2.5. Other reports include continued natural wet avalanche activity up to Size 2.5 at lower elevations below the rain line. A MIN report from Sunday describes a remotely triggered size 3 avalanche on London Ridge. Click here for more details. Touchy new storm slabs are sensitive to light triggers and have the potential to step down and trigger persistent slab avalanches.
Snowpack Summary
Expect to find 25-40 cm of fresh snow bonding poorly to buried surface hoar and/or a crust, and blown into touchy wind slabs at higher elevations. At lower elevations the snow surface is wet and cohesionless and should soon freeze into a solid crust. Rapidly settling storm snow from last week is still bonding poorly to the previous snow surface from early February, which is now down 60-80 cm and includes a sun crust on steep sun-exposed slopes, faceted snow, as well as surface hoar on sheltered open slopes. The mid and lower snowpack are generally well settled and stable in deeper snowpack areas but may be faceted and weaker in shallower areas.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Fresh storm slabs are sensitive to light triggers and particularly deep and touchy on wind-loaded slopes.
Avoid freshly wind loaded features.Be alert to conditions that change with elevation.Use caution in lee areas in the alpine and treeline. Storm snow is forming touchy slabs.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
A persistent weakness down 50-80 cm remains remains sensitive to light triggers in isolated areas. Smaller avalanches have the potential to step down to this layer.
Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to the presence of buried weak layers.Whumpfing, shooting cracks and recent avalanches are all strong indicators of unstable snowpack.Use conservative route selection, choose moderate angled and supported terrain with low consequence.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 18th, 2017 2:00PM