Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 6th, 2013 9:16AM

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

Avalanche Canada mpeter, Avalanche Canada

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Monday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of flurries. Expect northwesterly winds gusting up to 90km/h and temperatures around -10.Tuesday: Mixed skies, with continued chance of flurries. Accumulations may be higher in the extreme south part of the region. Winds turn westerly, remaining strong and gusty before abating in the evening. Temperatures should reach -10.Wednesday: Cloudy with light to locally moderate snowfalls. It is possible that the south end of the region continues to receive more accumulations. Expect moderate southerly winds and temperatures around -6. 

Avalanche Summary

Isolated sluffing continues. This issue is magnified by solar radiation if the sun pokes through.

Snowpack Summary

In isolated areas, up to 10cm of new snow has fallen. In areas with northerly winds, the new snow has been transported into small windslabs on south facing terrain (reverse loading).Lots of snow depth and surface condition variability exists in the region. Hard windslabs can still be found on North and East facing terrain due to previous moderate and strong South and West winds. The windward slope are hard pressed and in many locations scoured down to very shallow snow depths (or to rock!). In more sheltered areas, the cold nights have facetted the upper snowpack, leaving the surface snow soft. Surface hoar is growing in these sheltered locations as well. A sun crust has formed on steep South facing slopes.The mid pack is well settled and strong. This overlies one or two crusts (location specific) with the higher crust being as shallow as 70cm below the surface. Concern lingers (unlikely) for triggering a deep slab avalanche in a shallow snowpack area.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Windslabs linger in high, exposed lee and cross loaded terrain. The strong changing winds may build new slabs in unusual locations.
Be cautious travelling in areas that have been reverse loaded by winds.>Be aware of the potential for wide propagations due to the presence of hard windslabs.>Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 4

Valid until: Jan 7th, 2013 2:00PM