Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 28th, 2024 1:45PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Loose Wet, Persistent Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.

Avalanche Canada Dvonk, Avalanche Canada

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Rain has soaked the upper snowpack to about 2300m. Expect poor skiing and travel until things cool off. Natural avalanche activity will increase with the rising freezing levels.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several whumpfs observed today when breaking new trail in valley bottoms. Shooting cracks were visible in the upper 30cm of snow that has been saturated by the recent rain.

Party reported a small avalanche in the Hero's knob drainage around 11am.

Snowpack Summary

Field teams went for a short lived walk today in the commonwealth drainage. All efforts were given up on the way to Commonwealth lake due to a fully saturated snowpack and bad travel. 2000m and below the snowpack was moist to ground. With next to no freeze overnight and warm temps, expect travel to be terrible until the weather cools and the snowpack has a chance to freeze again.

Weather Summary

Monday will see partially sunny skies and no precip. West winds in the 50km/h range continue and freezing levels to hover around 2300m once again.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Back off if you encounter whumpfing, hollow sounds, or shooting cracks.
  • Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.
  • In areas where deep persistent slabs may exist, avoid shallow or variable depth snowpacks and unsupported terrain features.
  • Watch for unstable snow on specific terrain features, especially when the snow is moist or wet.

Problems

Loose Wet

An icon showing Loose Wet

Surface snow becoming moist and wet with rain and high freezing levels.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Treeline, Below Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs

Hard and soft slabs have developed from the warm temperatures, wind and small snowfall amounts. These sit on top of cold snap facet interface. Sun crusts are also found on steep solar aspects around treeline

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Deep Persistent Slabs

This layer is getting getting buried deeper and deeper over time. The weight and amount of new snow is slowly increasing, which will increase the size of any potential avalanches.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1.5 - 3

Valid until: Jan 29th, 2024 4:00PM

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