Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 7th, 2013 9:20AM

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

Avalanche Canada triley, Avalanche Canada

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Tuesday

Weather Forecast

Overnight and Tuesday: 5-10 cms is expected by Tuesday morning combined with moderate Westerly winds. The wind should become light Southerly at the end of the precipitation. The next pulse of moisture should begin during the evening.Wednesday: Another 5-10 cms is forecast to accumulate by late morning. Light variable winds and alpine temperatures down to about -12.0. Clearing in the afternoon with North winds building to moderate.Thursday: Mostly dry and cold with some cloud  and Westerly winds building during the day.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported.

Snowpack Summary

Thin layers of dry cold snow are accumulating each day. In some areas this new snow has been transported into wind slabs. The recent cold and dry weather has caused the surface snow to facet and become weakly bonded. This weak bonding has resulted in dry loose snow sluffing out of steep terrain. Forecast new snow on top of this weak unconsolidated surface should continue to sluff easily. The base layers of the shallow snowpack have also facetted and become weaker. The relatively strong mid-pack has formed a bridge above the deep facets. The forecast storm over the next few days may create a storm slab above the weak surface layers, and/or over-load the mid-pack bridge. This type of incremental loading requires frequent assessments of the amount of loading above the weak layers, and whether that load will react as a consolidated slab.

Problems

Storm Slabs

An icon showing Storm Slabs
A soft storm slab is slowly developing with daily snow falls combined with moderate shifting winds.
Avoid freshly wind loaded features.>Avoid travelling in areas that have been reverse loaded by winds.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Deep Persistent Slabs
A deeply buried facet/crust weakness exists near the base of the snowpack. This layer could be triggered by large loads such as a cornice collapse or from a thin-spot trigger point.
Avoid thin, rocky or sparsely-treed slopes.>Be aware of thin areas that may propagate to deeper instabilites.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 5

Valid until: Jan 8th, 2013 2:00PM

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