Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 12th, 2019 8:00AM

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

Parks Canada percy woods, Parks Canada

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Days are short and the sky is grey. Plan your day around being back to the trailhead well before dark.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Flurries today (amounting to 7cm) with moderate SW winds and -7C for an alpine high. Traces of precipitation, light winds and freezing levels 1200m and lower are forecast to end the week.

Snowpack Summary

Light snowfall has now buried the Dec 11 surface hoar layer. S-SW winds have recently formed windslab on ALP lee slopes. Cold temps and clear skies have faceted the recent snow surface. The Dec 5th surface hoar is down +/-40cm and is stubborn in tests. The Nov 23rd surface hoar/crust/facet combo is down +/-100cm and is becoming stubborn in tests.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed or reported.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

Problems

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs

The November 23rd layer consists of surface hoar at and below treeline and a crust on steep solar aspects into the alpine. This layer can be found down 80-100cm.

  • If triggered the storm/wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Recent S-SW winds have formed windslab in the immediate lee of alpine terrain features. Light overnight storm snow will have obscured these slabs.

  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
  • Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Dec 13th, 2019 8:00AM