Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 15th, 2024 4:00PM

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

Avalanche Canada shorton, Avalanche Canada

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Keep your guard up in steep open terrain! Wind slabs are bonding poorly to underlying layers.

Summary

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

There has been a steady stream of small (size 1 to 1.5) wind slab avalanches observed over the past few days. Natural avalanches were triggered by outflow winds, while human-triggered avalanches have occurred on a range of aspects. Most slabs were 20 to 30 cm thick, with some failing on a buried surface hoar layer.

Snowpack Summary

Sun and wind are creating variable surface conditions. Exposed terrain is being scoured by northeast wind and forming small wind slabs on south and west facing slopes.

Roughly 30 cm of snow sits above large surface hoar and/or faceted crystals at treeline and above. A widespread, supportive crust exists 30 to 40 cm below the surface.

The snowpack is strong and bonded below this crust.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night

Clear skies. 30 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Friday

Sunny. 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy. 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C with freezing level around 1200 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with 1 to 2 cm of snow. 15 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C with freezing level around 1200 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Back off if you encounter whumpfing, hollow sounds, or shooting cracks.
  • Keep your guard up at lower elevations. Wind slab formation has been extensive.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Outflow wind has impacted open terrain on various aspects, and formed wind slabs that are bonding poorly to the underlying surface hoar and/or crust layers.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Feb 16th, 2024 4:00PM