Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 3rd, 2013 9:03AM

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

Avalanche Canada mpeter, Avalanche Canada

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a chance of flurries. Temperatures should reach -8 with westerly winds 30-50km/h.Saturday: A mix of sun and cloud, with clouds building thought the day. Flurries may develop late in the day or overnight. Winds turn more southerly and remain moderate with temperatures reaching -5.Sunday: Mostly cloudy with light flurries (up to 10cm), moderate southwesterlies and temperatures reaching -10.

Avalanche Summary

Loose snow avalanches (sluffing) continue to be reported from steep terrain.

Snowpack Summary

Slow and subtle change is the name of the game under the current conditions. Surface hoar growth continues with bigger crystals observed below 1800m (up to 10mm). In protected areas, the surface hoar continues into treeline and the low alpine but crystal size is significantly smaller and distribution is very patchy. Near surface faceting has penetrated the upper snowpack as deep as 30cm, keeping the surface snow soft. The sun from the past few days has left behind a thin, breakable crust on south and west aspects. In some isolated areas this crust is more widespread to other aspects due to the inversion conditions. These crusts will likely facet out in the next few nights.Variable winds have built windslabs in many exposed locations at treeline and in the alpine The faceting process has softened many of the older windslabs, but fresh deposits may be reactive to rider traffic.The midpack is well settled. The crust/facet combo found deep in the snowpack is still present, but has become dormant.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Changing wind directions have built windslabs in unusual locations.
Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow in exposed locations.>Be aware as you transition into wind affected terrain.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Valid until: Jan 4th, 2013 2:00PM