Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 19th, 2025 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
Avalanche Canada,
Avalanche Canada
Raise your guard as you reach higher elevations with greater amounts of wind transported snow. Winds have been variable, so be ready to manage newly formed wind slabs on any aspect.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
The North Rockies field team observed a small (size 1) natural wind slab release on an east aspect at 2070 m in the Lucille area on Friday. Its crown was up to 70 cm thick, almost 3 times the height of new snow.
Snowpack Summary
A variable 5 to 25 cm of snow from this week has formed new wind slabs in exposed alpine and treeline terrain. On solar aspects, at treeline, and especially below, the new snow overlies a variety of crusts from recent warming, sun, and rain. A good bond should form where rain transitioned to snowfall in the last storm.
The uppermost crust (varies by location) is the main failure plane of concern in the region, however we continue to track early January and early December surface hoar and crust layers down 30 to 50 cm and down 80 to 130 cm, respectively. Both are considered unlikely to trigger, with limited concern for higher elevations where the capping effect of recent crusts is absent.
Weather Summary
Sunday night
Mostly clear. 20 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline low temperature -18 °C.
Monday
Mainly sunny. 30 to 50 km/h west ridgetop wind, increasing. Treeline high temperature -10 °C.
Tuesday
Sun, cloud and isolated flurries, up to 10 cm of new snow. 30 to 60 km/h northwest ridgetop wind, easing. Treeline high temperature -12 °C.
Wednesday
Isolated flurries, 5 to 10 cm of new snow. 30 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline high temperature -8 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- 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.
- Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Recent wind slabs scattered across higher elevation terrain may remain sensitive to human triggering on the weekend. Slabs may be most reactive where they have formed over the recent crust.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 20th, 2025 4:00PM
