Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Nov 22nd, 2023 2:00PM

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

Avalanche Canada mkoppang, Avalanche Canada

Email

5-10cm of snow is forecast to fall overnight and through the morning tomorrow. Watch to see how the new snow bonds to the underlying crust.

Summary

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

Nothing new has been noted in the last couple of days but still lots of older signs of avalanche activity.

Snowpack Summary

We have about 20cm of snow in the valley bottom and 40-70cm at treeline and above. Variability in snow amounts is the theme here but generally not enough to ski yet. Lee features and cross loaded gullies will have the most snow but are also areas of concern for triggering slab avalanches. As a very general summary, we have 3 layers: sugary facets on the ground, a thin intermittent crust and a persistent slab in wind prone areas. If you're at all experienced in the Rockies, you'll simply know this as a classic early season snowpack!

Weather Summary

Cooler temperatures are moving back into the region overnight on Wednesday with light northwesterly winds and some light flurries. Wednesday night and into thursday we will see up to 10cm of snow as winds continue to shift around to the northeast.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be carefull with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.
  • Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Avoid terrain traps where the consequence of any avalanche could be serious.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs

Slabs are reactive on the basal facets and possibly an intact crust at lower elevations.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Nov 24th, 2023 2:00PM