Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 31st, 2025 11:30AM

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

Avalanche Canada Avalanche Canada, Avalanche Canada

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Avoid high elevation start zones.

Dense slabby snow formed during the recent stormy weather needs some time to stabilize.

Summary

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday, our field team observed older, natural wind slab avalanches up to size 2. These were expected to have occurred during an intense period of the storm on Tuesday.Looking forward to Saturday, we expect that humans or snowmobiles could still trigger wind slab avalanches on slopes with deep, wind deposited snow.

Snowpack Summary

Winter arrived suddenly, forming most of the winter snowpack within the last week and a half. Expect to find as much as 1 m of new snow in sheltered terrain below treeline. In wind-exposed terrain, the windward slopes have been scoured and leeward slopes have been loaded with up to 3 m of snow. Strong westerly wind on Friday is expected to have formed new wind slabs, which may remain reactive as moderate winds and light snowfall continue on Saturday.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with light snowfall 2-4 cm. 30 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.

Saturday

Cloudy with a chance of flurries. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -14 °C.

Sunday

Mostly cloudy with a chance of flurries. 20-30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -14 °C.

Monday

Mostly cloudy with a chance of flurries. 10-20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.
  • Avoid freshly wind-loaded terrain features.
  • Avoid lee and cross-loaded slopes in the alpine.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Continued snowfall and strong winds have created dense slabs that may avalanche under the weight of a human. Give these slabs a day or two to stick to the rest of the snowpack after the storm subsides.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Feb 1st, 2025 11:30AM

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