Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 13th, 2014 8:48AM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Storm Slabs and Persistent Slabs.

triley, Avalanche Canada

Kootenay Boundary.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Freezing levels are uncertain

Weather Forecast

Overnight and Tuesday: Very strong Northwest winds overnight becoming moderate to strong during the day. Freezing level climbing above 2000 metres in the afternoon. Mostly cloudy.Wednesday: No precipitation forecast. Winds becoming very strong Northwest with broken skies and freezing levels at about 1800 metres.Thursday: Mostly sunny with above freezing temperatures in the alpine and moderate Northwest winds.

Avalanche Summary

There were several natural avalanches up to size 2.0 reported from Southeast thru Southwest aspects. Highway avalanche control produced slides up to size 2.5 on the same aspects.

Snowpack Summary

10-20 cm of new snow in the past 24 hours has added to the storm slab. There is now about 50-80 cm above the January 8th layer of buried surface hoar and/or melt-freeze crust. Snow profile tests on the buried surface hoar layer have shown moderate sudden planar results. Deeper in the snowpack is a weak layer of surface hoar from the end of November, and in some areas depth hoar or basal facets near the ground. There is a great deal of variation across this region.

Problems

Storm Slabs

New snow has added to the recent storm slab. Strong winds have transported snow into deep pockets of wind slab. Avalanches in motion may step down to deeply buried weak layers near the ground.

Travel on ridgetops to avoid wind slabs on slopes below.>The new snow will require several days to settle and stabilize.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 4

Persistent Slabs

Weak layers continue to linger deep in the snowpack. There is a lot of variability in this region. Areas that were shallow during the early season cold arctic air are very suspect now that a new load has been added.

Be aware of the potential for large, deep avalanches due to the presence of buried surface hoar, facet/crust and depth hoar.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 5

Valid until: Jan 14th, 2014 2:00PM