Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Dec 16th, 2023 2:30PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
cwild,
Avalanche Canada
A low rating does not mean that there is no avalanche danger. Make sure to assess for wind slabs in the start zones and on cross loaded features before comitting to your line.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Early season, observations are limited. Thanks for sharing your observation through the Mountain Information Network if you head out.
No new avalanches have been observed or reported. Please share your observations at bulletin@avalanchequebec.ca or via the Mountain Information Network.
Snowpack Summary
In the alpine and on exposed features, the winds have created a variety of different surfaces (hard slabs, sastrugis, crust or pressed snow). Start zones, depressions and cross-loaded features are showing greater accumulations. On the December 11 crust, a layer of facets showed signs of instability in areas where the snowpack is shallower.
In protected areas and below the treeline, 10 to 20 cm of low-density snow covers the December 11th layer, while the November 28th layer was buried under 20 to 40 cm of snow. Overall, the height of the snow varies from 30 to 90 cm, depending on altitude and aspect.
Weather Summary
Synopsis: The ridge of high pressure will persist for most of the day tomorrow, while an inversion will bring temperatures around zero Celsius to the peaks.
Saturday evening and night: Generally clear. No precipitation. Winds from 45 to 50 km/h switching to the southwest. Min. -5C. Freezing level at valley bottom.
Sunday: Mix of sun and cloud. Rain could start late afternoon. Southwest winds of 70 to 80 km/h. Inversion, it will be warmer at higher elevation. Maximum 1C. Freezing level increases to 2000m during the day.
Monday: Cloudy. Rainy. South winds around 70 km/h with gusting up to 100 km/h. 5C.
Tuesday: Cloudy. Rainy. Southwest winds around 50 km/h with gusting up to 100 km/h.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
- Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
- Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Snow transport to the east and south aspects was observed. These new wind slabs will need time to stabilize.
Snow is still available for transport, and the change in wind direction on Saturday night could form new slabs on the north to east aspects.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Dec 17th, 2023 3:00PM
