Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Crawford, Dogtooth, East Purcell, Moyie, Purcells, St. Mary, West Purcell.
Persistent weak layers remain a concern.
Avoid rocky, thin, and shallow areas where triggering slabs is most likely.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
On Sunday, evidence of a size 2 avalanche triggered by cornice failure was observed near Invermere.
On Saturday, a few size 1 loose dry avalanches were observed in steep rocky alpine terrain.
No persistent avalanches were reported throughout the weekend however professionals remain concerned about this layer. See this MIN from last week for an example of where this problem can be triggered.
If you head out in the backcountry, let us know what you see by submitting a MIN!
Snowpack Summary
2 to 10 cm of low-density snow sits atop a variety of surfaces, including surface hoar and facets on northerly aspects, a thin breakable sun crust on southerly aspects, and isolated wind slabs in the alpine. In sheltered areas, 20 to 75 cm of snow continues to settle.
A weak layer buried in early December can be found down 50 to 90 cm. On shaded slopes, it consists of weak surface hoar or faceted crystals, while on south-facing slopes, it combines a sun crust with facets.
The snowpack base is composed of a thick crust and facets in many areas.
Weather Summary
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy. 5 to 15 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
Monday
Mostly clear skies. 10 to 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
Tuesday
Mostly clear skies. 15 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Wednesday
Partly cloudy, with light snow 0 to 2 cm. 20 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- In times of uncertainty, conservative terrain choices are our best defense.
- Avoid thin areas like rocky outcrops where you're most likely to trigger avalanches on deep weak layers.
- Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
In the mid-snowpack, buried surface hoar or facets may pose a risk on north-facing slopes, while a buried sun crust could be reactive in south-facing areas. In shallow snowpack areas, facets at the base of the snowpack are generally weak.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 3
Wind Slabs
Variable winds have formed wind slabs in lee terrain at upper elevations. These slabs may remain sensitive to human triggering on steep, convex and unsupported slopes.
Aspects: North, North East, East, West, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2