Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 7th, 2020 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs.
mconlan,
Avalanche Canada
As the rain switches back to snow at lower elevations, snow may accumulate and take a bit of time to bond to the snowpack. If venturing to high elevations, be observant for thick storm slabs.
Summary
Confidence
Weather Forecast
TUESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 5 to 20 cm, moderate to strong west wind, treeline temperature -3 C, freezing level 1300 m dropping to 500 m.
WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, light northwest wind, treeline temperature -5 C, freezing level 500 m.
THURSDAY: Clear skies, light north wind, treeline temperature -6 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
FRIDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 20 to 30 cm, strong southwest wind, treeline temperature -3 C, freezing level rising to 800 m.
Avalanche Summary
Storm slabs were reactive to human traffic on Monday. It is likely that a natural avalanche cycle occurred Monday night as the snow switched to rain. Avalanche activity is expected to decrease as the freezing level rapidly decreases on Tuesday night.
Snowpack Summary
As the freezing level drops from 1700 m to about 500 m on Tuesday night, rain will switch to snow. There is uncertainty on how much snow will accumulate at each elevation band. Expect thick storm slabs above around 1500 m and in the range of 5 to 20 cm of snow below 1500 m by Wednesday. There is also uncertainty on how this snow will bond to the snow beneath it. Your best bet is to make assessments as you travel, observing for new snow thickness and the bond of the new snow to the old surface.
Terrain and Travel
- Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
- Avoid lee and cross loaded slopes in the alpine.
Problems
Storm Slabs
As the freezing level drops Tuesday night, precipitation will switch from rain to snow. We are uncertain on how quickly this will occur and how much snow will accumulate at each elevation band. As you travel, assess the height of new snow and use particular caution if you find more than 20 cm of accumulated dry snow. Assess the bond of the new snow before committing to avalanche terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 8th, 2020 5:00PM
