Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 18th, 2021 8:06AM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
ross campbell,
Hard wind slabs overlying facets, are behaving more like persistent slabs, and becoming harder to trigger.
The best riding conditions exist in sheltered areas at and below tree line.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Today is starting off cold and clear. High cloud will start to push through this afternoon, as a storm system off the coast tries to move over Rogers Pass. Alpine temperatures will hover around -10, and winds will be light from the SW. Flurries tonight, with increasing winds. 6cm of new snow on Friday, 7cm on Friday, and 33cm on Sunday.
Snowpack Summary
Approx 15cm of new snow covers a variety of old surfaces, from hard wind slabs in the alpine and exposed areas of TL, to low density facetted snow in sheltered areas at TL and below. Cold temps continue to facet the upper snowpack, and weaken cornices. The January 24th interface is down 70-100cm and predominantly unreactive in stability tests.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed int he HWY corridor yesterday. A MIN report of a size 1 slab avalanche in Camp West Lite size 1-1.5. Another MIN report of sluffing to size 1 up the Asulkan drainage. Overall very minimal avalanche activity has been observed recently.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
~ Approx 15 cm of new snow is hiding hard wind slabs in the alpine and exposed areas of tree line. Cold temps continue to facet and weaken the upper snow pack. There is an excellent MCR describing this problem in more detail that can be found here.
- Watch for pockets of hard windslab in steep alpine features.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
The Jan 24th interface has been easily found in numerous recent profiles; however, minimal results have been recorded as this layer becomes harder to trigger. This layer is most concerning on steep, unsupported terrain features, on solar aspects.
- Persistent slabs may be more sensitive to human triggering on solar asp where it sits on sun crust
Aspects: South East, South, South West, West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 19th, 2021 8:00AM
