Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 1st, 2016 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Loose Wet and Wind Slabs.
Lisa Paulson,
Avalanche Canada
Ice climbers be aware of the warmer temperatures aloft. The hazard may rise quickly with with increased avalanche activity mid-day on steep solar aspects.
Summary
Weather Forecast
A strong ridge of high pressure will dominate the region through the weekend bringing lots of sunshine and calm winds. Some models are not handling the inversion well, check our weather stations for current temperatures. Alpine temperatures will remain warm through the weekend with freezing levels up to 2300 m. Temperatures will drop Sunday night.
Snowpack Summary
A well settled snowpack with few weaknesses exists throughout the region. There is moist surface snow on steep solar aspects. Isolated wind slabs up to size 1.5 exist on leeward slopes at treeline and above from recent wind effect. Below 2000m, the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar and facets remains visible (down 35-70 cm), but is currently dormant.
Avalanche Summary
Today loose snow avalanches to size 2 were observed on steep cliffy/gullied terrain with the sun affect. In the past few days, there have been a few natural and skier triggered windslabs up to size 1.5 at and above tree line, several natural cornice failures to size 2, and a rockslide triggered size 3 over Home Brew Ice Climb on Mt. Stephen.
Confidence
Problems
Loose Wet
Ice climbers and skiers be mindful of loose snow avalanches to size 2 in steep solar terrain. Several avalanches have been observed with warming temperatures and sun affect.
Aspects: North, North East, East.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Wind Slabs
Isolated windslabs exist at treeline and in alpine areas. It's hard to pin down exactly where these are, but several natural and skier triggered avalanches (up to size 1.5) have been reported in the past week.
- Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 2nd, 2016 4:00PM
