Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 22nd, 2025 2:00PM

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

Avalanche Canada Avalanche Québec, Avalanche Canada

Email

Chic-Chocs.

Recent test results show that wind slabs are still sensitive to human triggering. Cold temperatures significantly slow snowpack stabilization.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported or observed

If you head into the backcountry, thanks for sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).

Snowpack Summary

At treeline and in the alpine, surface snow is strongly affected by wind, resulting in great variability in its distribution.

In wind-protected areas, the average depth of snow cover varies between 90 and 120 cm. Within this blanket, we find:

  • A thin layer of frost at a depth of around 20 cm.

  • A layer of facetted grains approximately 40 cm deep.

  • A melt-freeze crust at 60 cm.

Weather Summary

WEATHER FOR THE CHIC-CHOCS RIDGES AND SUMMITS

Temperatures will remain cold until the weekend.

Wednesday evening and night: Partly cloudy. Wind west, 20 to 40 km/h. Low -22.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy. Wind west, 20 to 40 km/h. High -17.

Friday: Sunny. Wind northwest, 25 to 50 km/h. High -15.

Saturday: Sunny. Wind northwest, 15 to 30 km/h. High -12.

For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine weather forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

With moderate winds and snow available for transport, wind slabs continue to form. Cold temperatures are slowing down the stabilization of the snowpack. These wind slabs, which are sometimes hard, are more difficult to trigger, but they encourage propagation in the event of breakage. They rest on fragile layers that proved reactive in our tests.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 23rd, 2025 3:00PM

Login
Join