Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 15th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs.
jpercival,
Avalanche Canada
Slab avalanches have been reactive to human triggers. This is most likely where the snow is wind affected.
Choose smaller test slopes before committing to large features.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
On Wednesday, a size 2 wind slab was skier-triggered on a SE aspect at 1950 m elevation. Many large (size 2) storm slab avalanche were triggered utilizing explosives near Fernie. All of these avalanches occurred in the alpine on all aspects, with the exception of northwest.
Several small (size 1-1.5) storm slab avalanches were triggered with explosives near Fernie on Tuesday.
Snowpack Summary
20 to 30 cm of recent snow adds on top of the early February rain crust now buried 40 to 50 cm deep, which seems well-bonded at lower elevations but isn't bonding well at higher elevations.
There are crusts and facets in the mid and lower snowpack but have not produced any recent avalanches.
Weather Summary
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy. 10-15 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -15 °C.
Thursday
Mostly clear skies, 15 to 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
Friday
Mostly clear skies. 20 to 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
Saturday
Clear skies, becoming cloudy in the afternoon. Light flurries 1 to 5 cm. 15 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm snow is starting to settle and bond but remains reactive in some areas, particularly wind-exposed terrain. Test on small features before committing to larger terrain. Isolated wind slabs can be found in the alpine on all aspects.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 16th, 2024 4:00PM
