Archived

Avalanche Forecast

Feb 28th, 2015–Mar 1st, 2015

Alpine

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be low

Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low

Below Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Alpine

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate

Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be low

Below Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Alpine

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate

Treeline

2: Moderate

The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate

Below Treeline

1: Low

The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Kootenay Boundary.

There is snow on the horizon, but it's hard to say how much. This new snow should bump danger up a notch. Are you a member of Avalanche Canada? Join today at avalanche.ca/membership

Confidence

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Monday

Weather Forecast

The ridge of high pressure maintains dry conditions on Sunday with a freezing level a little over 1000 m. An approaching Arctic cold front should result in increasing cloud late Sunday and light snow beginning on Monday. Some areas could see 10-15 cm (maybe more) by Tuesday. The freezing level is around 600-800 m and ridge winds are moderate from the N-NW. Tuesday should become drier, sunnier and cooler under the influence of the Arctic High.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported in the past few days.

Snowpack Summary

5-10 cm of new snow sits on the previous snow surfaces. The new snow is being redistributed into thin wind slabs in open lee terrain and is sluffing in steep sheltered terrain. The most prominent feature in the snowpack is the thick upper crust. This crust is supportive all the way to ridge crest and is effectively "capping" the snowpack, keeping riders from tickling any deeper weak layers. On solar aspects the proud crust is on the surface (softening during sunny days), and on shadier aspects there may be 5 - 20 cm of settled storm snow on it. There are still weak layers in the snowpack that we'll continue to monitor, but for now these layers are dormant. We would likely need significant warming and/or heavy loading to re-activate them.

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

An isolated and relatively small problem, but watch for pockets of fresh wind slabs in exposed lee terrain and cross-loaded gullies.

Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible - Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 2