Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 25th, 2014 8:21AM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Loose Wet and Deep Persistent Slabs.

triley, Avalanche Canada

Sea To Sky.

Check out the latest blog post on deep persistent slab problems.For those of you planing glacier travel over the weekend, be aware that crevasses are poorly bridged. Check out the recent MCR post from Decker Mtn.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Overnight and Sunday: Continued warm air at higher elevations. Mostly sunny with freezing level up to about 2700 metres. Light Northwest winds becoming Northeast in the late afternoon.Monday: Continued mostly sunny with valley cloud. Freezing levels moving down to about 2300 metres as the inversion slowly breaks down in the alpine. Light Southeast winds.Tuesday: Temperature inversion breaks down as cloud and light precipitation move in from the South. Freezing level at about 1000 metres.

Avalanche Summary

Loose wet avalanches were reported up to size 2.0 from steep East aspects in the AM and from steep West aspects in the PM.

Snowpack Summary

The surface snow is likely undergoing a melt-freeze cycle on all but high elevation shady aspects. The record low snowpack is generally well settled and strong; however, facets with an associated laminated crust still lurk near the base. Recent snowpack tests on a SSW facing treeline slope gave hard but sudden results on a crust laminated with facets down 118cm. Below that, facets and depth hoar were found down to the ground. Although warm temperatures tend to promote settlement and strengthening over time, the initial strain could easily reawaken these deep persistent slabs.

Problems

Loose Wet

Generally small, slow, and often limited to extreme cliffy terrain; however, these dense avalanches can easily knock you off your feet and take you for a ride.

Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.>Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet.>

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

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

Particularly a concern on shallow rocky southern aspects with heavy triggers. Warm temperatures and sun-exposure is expected to increase the likelihood of triggering these facets deep in the snowpack. Cornice falls could also act as natural triggers.

Avoid exposure to sun exposed slopes.>Use caution around convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.>Use caution on rocky or sparsely-treed slopes.>Be aware of the potential for full depth avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

4 - 7

Valid until: Jan 26th, 2014 2:00PM