Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Dec 14th, 2022 2:30PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
jfmichaud,
Avalanche Canada
The new snow, combined with high winds and early season conditions, make getting around the mountain a challenge.
Make sure you have the necessary knowledge before you venture out!
Getting out on the mountain? We need your observations! https://www.avalanche.ca/mountain-information-network
Summary
Confidence
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanche activity has been observed or reported. Please share your observations at info@avalanchequebec.ca, or with the Mountain Information Network.
Snowpack Summary
Tuesday night's storm finally left about 15 cm of snow at the foot of the mountains and up to 30 cm in the mountains. The extreme northeasterly wind, with peaks of nearly 140km/h recorded at the Madeleine Mines, obviously greatly affected the snowpack. Aspects exposed to the wind were bald and the spatial variability of the snow in the leeward aspects is impressive, ranging from a few centimetres to over a metre. In the alpine, on leeward aspects, we ski on a rather firm windslab. At the treeline, the windslab is significantly softer. Unfortunately, all of this snow has been blown to areas that were severely depleted by previous weather systems, so the crust, rocks, stumps, small stunted trees, and downed trees are simply hidden by a beautiful white carpet and are just waiting for you to leave marks on your skis, or to grab your shins. The places to make nice turns are a little more available than before the storm, but still require a lot of work to get to.
Weather Summary
Forecast for the Chic-Chocs ridges and summits.
Wednesday night: Light snow, 2 to 3 cm. Wind northeast 60 to 70 km/h. Low -5.
Thursday: Snow ending in the morning, then cloudy. Wind northeast 30 to 40 km/h. High -5.
Friday: Cloudy, chance of light snow. Wind 30 to 50 km/h from the southeast. High -5.
Saturday: Cloudy, chance of light snow. Wind southeast 40 to 60 km/h. High -3.
For more details, check out the Chic-Chocs alpine weather forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
Problems
Wind Slabs
The new snow will be carried by the northeast wind, continuing the formation of windslabs on leeward aspects. These may rest on a rain crust on which facets are forming. This combination provides an ideal sliding surface for avalanches. Be especially careful when approaching areas of heavy new snow accumulations, alpine bowl starts, gullies, and under terrain depressions. The rating remains moderate as the snowpack remains minimal at the beginning of the season, but consider the maximum loading zones in the alpine as having a higher hazard rating.
Aspects: South, South West, West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Dec 15th, 2022 3:00PM
