Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 12th, 2016 9:17AM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

esharp, Avalanche Canada

Northwest Inland.

Watch for fresh wind slabs forming at upper elevations through the day.

Summary

Confidence

Low - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Weather Forecast

Light snowfall is expected to continue overnight bringing up to 10cm by Wednesday morning with moderate southwesterly winds. Flurries are forecast to continue through until Thursday. Winds should be light from the southwest on Thursday and Friday. Temperatures are forecast to cool slightly through the week with freezing levels falling from 500m on Wednesday to valley floor by Friday.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported for several days; however, observations are very limited.

Snowpack Summary

A dusting of new snow now covers a fairly widespread surface hoar layer. Below this 5-15 cm of dry faceted snow may sit on a variety of old surfaces including a melt-freeze crust on solar aspects in the alpine, wind affected snow in exposed terrain, and surface hoar in sheltered areas at treeline and lower elevations. Overall, the snowpack is still quite shallow and weak throughout the region.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Fresh wind slabs may be sensitive to rider triggering in steep and unsupported lee and cross-loaded terrain. If we receive more than 20cm of new snow we could see more widespread reactive storm slabs developing.

Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.>Avoid open slopes and convex rolls at and below treeline where buried surface hoar may be preserved.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Jan 13th, 2016 2:00PM