Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 20th, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
ahanna,
Avalanche Canada
Soft snow will be vulnerable to the wind and sun on Monday. Watch for fresh wind slabs forming as strong outflow winds cross- and reverse-load atypical terrain features. Steep south facing slopes that don't see wind may be prone to solar triggered point releases.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the extreme variability of wind effect on the snowpack.
Weather Forecast
Sunday night: Clearing, light to moderate northwest wind, low of -12, freezing level dropping to valley bottom.
Monday: Sunny, strong outflow winds, alpine high of -10.
Tuesday: Increasing cloud, outflows easing to light northwest wind, alpine high of -8.
Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud, moderate northwest wind, alpine high of -6.
Avalanche Summary
On Saturday, a remotely triggered size 2 was reported in this MIN. A few skier triggered size 1s and an explosive controlled size 2 were also reported.
During the storm on Thursday and Friday, avalanche activity was predominantly natural wet loose and wet slab avalanches size 1-2. Skier and explosive triggered storm slabs were also reported size 2.
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Snowpack Summary
30-50 cm of recent snow has been wind affected at upper elevations. At mid elevations, it may contain a thin rain crust. Below 1300 m, a surface crust has formed over moist snow.
The recent snow sits over a 10-30 cm thick rain crust which effectively caps the underlying snowpack, making human triggering of avalanches on deeper weak layers very unlikely. However, cornice failures may still have potential to trigger these deeper weak layers, resulting in very large avalanches.
Terrain and Travel
- Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect and exposure to wind.
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
- Avoid slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if they have large cornices overhead.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Strong outflow winds will cross- and reverse-load available soft snow into new wind slabs in atypical terrain features. Older wind slabs in more typical leeward features may remain reactive to human triggers in wind-loaded terrain features like ridge crests and convexities.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 21st, 2022 4:00PM
