Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 22nd, 2017 4:26PM

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

Avalanche Canada mgrist, Avalanche Canada

Don't let the lure of deep powder in the alpine zone draw you into terrain that's inappropriate for the conditions.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

We're looking at seasonal temperatures, light winds, a mix of sun and cloud with occasional isolated flurries for most of the week. MONDAY: Sunny with cloudy periods, light northerly wind and freezing level around 1100m. Alpine highs near -5 Celsius. TUESDAY: Sunny with cloudy periods, light northwesterly wind and freezing level around 800m. WEDNESDAY: Sunny breaks with isolated flurries, local accumulations 1-5 cm. Light northwesterly wind and freezing level around 700m.

Avalanche Summary

A Size 2 natural storm slab avalanche was reported Sunday near Blackcomb. The crown was 50-100cm high, on a west/southwest aspect near 2100m.A Size 2 (from Friday into Saturday) was reported on a north facing alpine feature near Blackcomb: Natural cornice fall triggered a slab below, but it did not step down to deeper layers.

Snowpack Summary

Rapid snow and wind loading occurred last week. The storm snow (70-140cm) fell in fluctuating freezing levels, creating storm snow weaknesses which have mostly settled out by now. The rain (or snow high in the alpine) started to saturate and load a wide variety of previous surface conditions. Simply put, the upper snowpack is extremely variable and given the amount of recent snow, it remains a question as to how well it has bonded to the old, cold surface in the alpine. Of most recent concern is touchy pockets of wind slab that developed Friday on northwesterly features above 2000m.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Watch out for touchy pockets of wind slabs on exposed northerly features near ridge crests, and also cross-loaded southeast and southwest gullies at treeline.
Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 23rd, 2017 2:00PM