Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 14th, 2015 8:25AM

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

bcorrigan, Avalanche Canada

Sea To Sky.

Incoming precipitation with strong S-SW winds will create wind-slabs at treeline and above on existing crusts. Surface hoar has formed in protected locations. Careful terrain evaluation will be important during this next storm cycle.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Weather Forecast

The high pressure ridge and warm temperatures will remain for today, then move off to the east as a cold front moves onto the south coast on Thursday afternoon bringing rain to lower regions and 20 to 30 cm of snow to upper elevations.Â Freezing levels will remain high as the front approaches, then drop to around 1000m.Â Friday and Saturday we'll see a break in the systems, them more precipitation on Sunday.

Avalanche Summary

No report of avalanche activity from yesterday, but there have been reports of snowballing on steep solar aspects.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack in the Sea to Sky is pretty much static right now. There is a surface crust on most of the snowpack above 1500 metres. Breakable crust below 1500 metres. Soft snow and surface hoar development to ridge tops on protected North aspects.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

The crust now covering most of the region makes triggering of this layer unlikely, but a small wind-slab avalanche on sheltered north aspects might provide the force to awaken this weak layer.

Avoid steep convexities.>Be aware of thin areas where human-triggering may be possible and may propagate to deeper instabilities.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely

Expected Size

3 - 5

Valid until: Jan 15th, 2015 2:00PM