Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 2nd, 2023 4:00PM

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

Avalanche Canada rgoddard, Avalanche Canada

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Southerly winds will have produced fresh wind slabs at higher elevations. Avoid large wind-loaded deposits.

Recent warm temperatures that are now cooling created a wet loose avalanche problem that is dissipating but may still be found out lower elevations.

Seek out terrain that will not funnel you into terrain traps.

Summary

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches in the last 24-hour period. During this period our main concern was caused by wet loose avalanches. Cooling temperatures Monday evening will help decrease this hazard but the potential is still there.

New snow coming in Tuesday and moderate southerly winds may create the possibility for reactive wind slabs.

Please continue to post your observations and photos to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

15-30 cm of moist new snow overlies an unsupportive crust. The remainder of the snowpack is moisture-saturated and isothermal to the ground. Cooling temperatures will help solidify the snowpack and more than likely produce a surface crust.

Treeline snow depths are roughly 150 to 200 cm.

Weather Summary

Monday Night

Clear skies, no accumulation, ridge winds southeast 15 to 30 km/h, freezing level around 1000 m.

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy, up to 12 cm accumulation later in the day into the evening, southerly winds 25 km/h, freezing level around 800 m.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud, no accumulation, wind southeast 25 km/h, freezing level climbing to 1500 m.

Thursday

Cloudy, mix of snow and rain with potential of up to 8 cm accumulation at higher elevations, winds east 20 km/h gusting to 70, freezing level reaching 1900 m.

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.
  • Loose avalanches may start small but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Any snow that was not affected by the recent rise in temperature will combine with snow expected Tuesday. This will be redistributed by moderate southerly winds. The surface that these fresh wind slabs will be sitting on will most likely be a crust, making them more reactive to triggering.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Valid until: Jan 3rd, 2023 4:00PM

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