Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Dec 21st, 2023 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
bchristie,
Avalanche Canada
Start on small slopes and check how well the new snow is sticking before committing to your line.
Avalanches are likely in wind loaded terrain.
Travel carefully due to early season hazards.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were reported before 4pm on Thursday.
Please help out your backcountry community by submitting a MIN report if you head out to the backcountry.
Snowpack Summary
Moderate snow and rainfall arriving with strong southwest wind and cooling temperatures will likely leave us with a variety of snow surfaces. Expect wind-scoured ground and crusts, or hard wind slabs in the alpine, reactive slabs or wet snow at treeline. Below treeline, you'll find dirt, or shallow, heavy, moist or wet snow.
Warm temperatures and rain through the week soaked and shrunk the snowpack. Snow depth is 40-90 cm and decreases rapidly below the 1000 m elevation mark.
Only specific terrain features with smooth ground cover, gullies, or established avalanche paths are above the threshold for avalanches.
Weather Summary
Thursday Night
Cloudy. Mixed precipitation. 10-25 cm of snow above 1500 m, but expect it to be snowing as low as 750 m by the morning. Strong southwest ridgetop wind.
Friday
Mostly cloudy. 2-5 cm of snow expected. Freezing level around 750 m. Treeline temperature around -4 °C. Moderate northwest ridgetop wind.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. Trace of snow expected. Freezing level around 900 m. Treeline temperature around -3 °C. Moderate south or southwest ridgetop wind.
Sunday
Partly cloudy. Very light rain expected. Freezing level rising to 1500-2000 m. Treeline temperature around 1 °C. Extreme south or southwest ridgetop wind.
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.
- Investigate the bond of the recent snow before committing to your line.
- Early season avalanches at any elevation have the potential to be particularly dangerous due to obstacles that are exposed or just below the surface.
- Winter conditions may exist in gullies, alpine bowls, and around ridgelines.
Problems
Wind Slabs
This storm is coming in warm and going out cold. Where snow is falling, it should stick to the old surface fairly well. Avalanches are most likely where strong winds are forming deeper pockets of snow over old, smooth, hard surfaces.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Dec 22nd, 2023 4:00PM
