Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 18th, 2012 9:38AM

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

Avalanche Canada ghelgeson, Avalanche Canada

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

We're entering a more active pattern which should persist through the middle of next week.Sun: A ridge of high pressure rebuilds during the day allowing temperatures to cool slightly while winds ease and switch from the SW to NW. A bit of instability from Saturday's storm will produce the odd flurry, but skies should clear in the afternoon. Look for 1500m temps to climb to -4 during the day.Mon/Tue: A few weak systems pass over the region favoring west slopes. Nothing in the flow is particularly well organized, it's the kind of setup that has the potential to bring 2-4 cm a day. Precip totals will be quite variable throughout the region, favoring the west slopes. 1500 m temps: High 0, Low -7

Avalanche Summary

There are isolated reports of Skiers and riders have triggering thin soft windslabs in the alpine up to size 1. New snow sluffing has also been reported.

Snowpack Summary

The new snow layer above the February 09 surface hoar is now about 10-25 cm thick. Some areas have reported that the surface hoar had grown to 50 mm before being buried. Some thin windslab has developed as a result of SW winds Fri/Sat. A melt-freeze crust has developed on solar aspects at all elevations, and on all aspects below about 1400 metres. The mid-pack is generally well settled. There is some concern that large loads like cornices may trigger the Jan. 20th facet layer. Some shallow snowpack areas may continue to have a weak layer of basal facets near the ground.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Winds were out of the SW Fri/Sat & are forecast to switch to the NW Sunday, as a result thin new windslabs are present on wind exposed terrain features at and above treeline.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 4

Valid until: Feb 20th, 2012 9:00AM