Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 9th, 2016 7:27AM

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

pmarshall, Avalanche Canada

Northwest Inland.

Not much change is expected until we see a significant weather pattern change. Remember, low danger does not mean no danger.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

Sunday: Mainly cloudy. The freezing level is at the surface. Winds are light or moderate from the S-SW. Monday: Cloudy with sunny breaks. The freezing level is at the surface and a temperature inversion is likely. Winds are moderate from the SW. Tuesday: Cloudy with flurries. The freezing level is at the surface and winds are moderate or strong from the SW.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported but watch for loose snow sluffing in steep terrain and sun-exposed slopes, and small wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded terrain in the alpine.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 15 cm of dry snow sits on a variety of old surfaces including a melt-freeze crust on solar aspects in the alpine, smooth old snow on higher elevation lee slopes, and well-developed surface hoar in sheltered areas at treeline and lower elevations. This dry surface snow could be capped by a sun crust on some steep solar aspects, or a fresh layer of surface hoar on sheltered and shady slopes. Variable winds have created soft wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded terrain in alpine areas. The mid and lower snowpack is generally strong.

Problems

Wind Slabs

It may be possible to trigger isolated pockets of wind slab in leeward alpine terrain features. These slabs are expected to be stiff and stubborn to trigger.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.>

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 10th, 2016 2:00PM