Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 2nd, 2012 9:49AM

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

ccampbell, Avalanche Canada

Sea To Sky.

Summary

Confidence

Good - -1

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: Up to 50cm possible for immediate coastal areas, freezing levels around 1500 but rising as high as 2500m by the evening, and strong to extreme southwesterly winds. Wednesday: Another 40-50mm expected for coastal areas with freezing levels dropping throughout the day to around 1600m, and continued strong to extreme southwesterly winds. Thursday: Light to moderate snowfall in the morning with a drying and cooling trend expected throughout the day.

Avalanche Summary

Check out the Incident Report Database (under the Bulletins tab) for a report of a close call involving snowmobilers south of Squamish over the weekend.

Snowpack Summary

Large cornices and wind slabs remain weak and wind-exposed areas are highly variable. Recent warm temperatures left a thin weak surface crust as high as alpine elevations, and helped settle out the weakness within and under last week's storm snow. In the mid snowpack, a weak rain crust extends up to treeline elevations, below which facets and/or surface hoar may be lurking. These weaknesses were recently responsible for large avalanches. Deep persistent weaknesses recently became active again with heavy triggers, and remain a concern in shallow rocky areas.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Fresh wind slabs are lurking below ridgecrests, behind terrain features and in cross loaded gullies.

Aspects: North, North East, East.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely - Very Likely

Expected Size

2 - 5

Storm Slabs

Weaknesses within and under recent and new storm snow are susceptible to natural and human triggers.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 5

Valid until: Jan 3rd, 2012 8:00AM