Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 13th, 2012 9:18AM

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

Avalanche Canada jlammers, Avalanche Canada

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Due to variable snopack conditions

Weather Forecast

Saturday: Trace amounts of snow expected in the morning with a clearing pattern developing in the afternoon / Light westerly winds switching to Northerly in the afternoon / -12.0 @ 1500m Sunday: Clear skies / Light to moderate northerly winds / -20.0 @ 1500m Monday: Clear skies / Moderate to strong northeast wind / -30 @ 1500m

Avalanche Summary

There have been no avalanches observations reported from the region.

Snowpack Summary

There is about 235 cm at 1500 metres. Heavy rain occurred last weekend up to about 1000 metres. Cooling since the storm has created a rain crust up to about 1200 metres. Above that, high winds redistributed the storm snow into wind slabs on lee and cross-loaded features. Since then, the region has received only dribs and drabs of new snow, and I suspect that last weekend's wind slab has gained considerable strength. I would expect soft slabs developing at treeline and in the alpine from the light accumulations throughout the week.There is an old rain crust that is buried down about a metre that is knife hard and showing old facets above and below. The snowpack is well settled below the rain crust down to the ground. The snowpack in the alpine is highly variable. Strong winds with almost every storm this winter have scoured ridges and knolls down to bare ground, and exposed boulders on some slopes.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Windslabs from last weekend are becoming more stubborn to human triggers. Watch for tender cornices as the potential trigger for a release on the slope below. New windslabs will most likely be smaller and isolated to pockets of lee terrain.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
Persistent slabs are getting harder to trigger but still exist in many locations.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 6

Valid until: Jan 14th, 2012 8:00AM