Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 19th, 2025 4:00PM

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

Avalanche Canada Avalanche Canada, Avalanche Canada

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New snow and moderate winds may add to existing wind slab problems. Warming temperatures may increase their sensitivity to triggering.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

At the time of publishing, no new avalanches were reported in the past 7 days.

Snowpack Summary

An average of 10 cm of recent storm snow, has fallen with variable wind, potentially forming wind slab on all aspects. In sheltered terrain this new snow may overlie soft, faceted snow or surface hoar. In exposed terrain it will overlie a sun crust or firm wind-affected snow.

In the Manning park area there has been less snow and significantly less wind.

At lower elevations a new crust is on or near the surface.

A weak layer from late January, buried 40 to 60 cm deep, is a hard crust in many areas but consists of facets or surface hoar on sheltered upper-elevation slopes.

A crust from December is buried 80 to 140 cm deep, with facets around it in shallow snowpack areas. Otherwise, the lower snowpack is strong and bonded.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Cloudy with up to 5 to 15 mm of mixed precipitation. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to 1000 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with up to 10 mm of mixed precipitation. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level rising 1300 m.

Friday

Cloudy with up to 5 mm of mixed precipitation. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1800 m.

Saturday

Cloudy with up to 10 mm of mixed precipitation. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 2200 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.
  • The more the snowpack warms up and weakens, the more conservative your terrain selection should be.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Newly formed wind slabs could be found in exposed terrain on all aspects due to variable wind over the past few days. These slabs may be sensitive to rider traffic due to the weak layers underneath.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Valid until: Feb 20th, 2025 4:00PM

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