Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 5th, 2025 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Persistent Slabs.
Avalanche Canada,
Avalanche Canada
Choose mellow terrain and watch for signs of instability like whumpfs, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
Check out the Forecaster Blog "Keeping a Conservative Mindset"
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
On Tuesday, several small to large (up to size 2) human triggered avalanches were reported. See this MIN for an example. Most of these avalanches failed on a layer of surface hoar buried at the end of January, and involved the recent storm snow, or associated wind slabs.
We expect human triggered avalanches like these to remain likely for the next few days.
Snowpack Summary
Storm snow totals range from 30 to 60 cm. Deeper deposits are found in wind-loaded areas. The new snow is bonding poorly to old surfaces, which include melt-freeze crusts on sun-exposed slopes, surface hoar or facets on shaded slopes, and wind-affected snow in exposed terrain.
A weak layer of surface hoar buried, 30 to 80cm deep, has been the culprit of many natural and human-triggered avalanches this week. Where this layer is preserved it will remain reactive to human triggering.
The lower snowpack is strong and bonded.
Weather Summary
Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy. Up to 2 cm of snow. 5 to 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -14 °C.
Thursday
A mix of sun and cloud. Light variable ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.
Friday
Sunny. 5 to 15 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.
Saturday
Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h SW ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -15 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.
- Fresh snow rests on a problematic persistent slab, don't let good riding lure you into complacency.
- Be aware of the potential for remote triggering and large avalanches due to buried surface hoar.
- Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't formed a slab.
Problems
Persistent Slabs
A layer of surface hoar 30 to 60 cm deep buried at the end of January has been most reactive where a slab exists above it. We may see human triggered avalanches become more widespread as any lower density snow also starts to settle into a slab.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 6th, 2025 4:00PM
