Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 7th, 2014 7:27AM

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

ccampbell, Avalanche Canada

Northwest Coastal.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Monday

Weather Forecast

Saturday: Mainly sunny. Light alpine wind with strong outflow wind likely valleys. Freezing level at valley bottom with alpine temperature reaching -15 C. Sunday: Sunny with cloudy periods. Light alpine wind. Freezing level at valley bottom with alpine temperature reaching -13 C. Monday: Increasing cloud with light snow possible in the afternoon.

Avalanche Summary

Reports from Thursday include natural and artificially triggered cornice falls to Size 2.5 with only 1 Size 1 wind slab triggered on the slope below. The faceted surface snow is also sluffing readily in steep terrain with skier traffic.

Snowpack Summary

A highly variable snow surface includes surface facets, surface hoar, thin wind slabs, and scoured crust, or any combination thereof. Remember to take stock of current surface conditions if you're out in the mountains. Once buried by a cohesive slab, surface hoar or a thin layer of facets sitting on a crust almost always becomes a weak layer, and will often persist.In sheltered areas, large surface hoar is growing on approximately 10cm of faceted old storm snow sitting on the late January crust, which is likely faceted and laminated and could have surface hoar on top. The entire snowpack is likely faceting to some degree, especially where it is shallow. Basal facets and depth hoar are likely, but triggering is only a concern in thin and variable snowpack areas with large triggers.

Problems

Loose Dry

The faceted powder is sluffing easily with human-triggers on steep sheltered slopes.

Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.>On steep slopes, pull over periodically or cut into a new line to manage sluffing.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 1

Wind Slabs

Isolated fresh thin pockets of hard and soft wind slabs may be lurking below ridge crests and behind terrain features in exposed terrain.

Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.>Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.>Start on small terrain and slope-cut the top of slopes before riding them.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Cornices

Cornices are becoming undermined and brittle. A hazard in themselves, but also as a heavy trigger for slab avalanches on the slope below.

Give cornices a wide berth when travelling on or below ridges.>

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Valid until: Feb 8th, 2014 2:00PM