Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 8th, 2012 9:13AM

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

swerner, Avalanche Canada

South Coast.

Summary

Confidence

Good - -1

Weather Forecast

Thursday: Snow amounts up to 5cms. Ridgetop winds 15-25km/hr from the SE. Freezing levels 1000m cooling overnight. Friday: Snow amounts up to 10cm. Ridgetop winds 30-40km/hr from the SW. Freezing levels near 1000m. Saturday a weak ridge of high pressure will bring limited precipitation, alpine sun, and low level clouds.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche observations reported.

Snowpack Summary

Snow surface conditions are variable. Thin, breakable sun crusts have developed on steep solar aspects in the alpine. Melt freeze crusts exist at lower elevations on most aspects. At treeline and below treeline surface faceting and surface hoar growth (5mm) are forming; especially on shady aspects in sheltered locations. In the Duffy Lake and Coquihalla sits a well settled snowpack below the variable surface conditions. Additionally in the Coquilhalla hard wind slabs 5-15cm thick and have formed due to strong outflow winds. The older storm slab in the Coquihalla is about a meter deep and continues to settle and bond.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Strong outflow winds over the past couple days have created hard stiff wind slabs on lee slopes. They may be stubborn, but could be reactive to rider triggers.

Aspects: North, North East, East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Cornices

Cornice fall may release slab a slab avalanche on the slope below.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 6

Valid until: Feb 9th, 2012 3:00AM