Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 20th, 2020 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
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Avalanche Canada
Snowfall expected throughout the week will increase the likelihood of wind slab avalanches.
Summary
Confidence
Weather Forecast
MONDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with clear periods and isolated flurries, moderate wind from the southwest, alpine temperatures drop to -10 C.
TUESDAY: Cloudy, light wind from various directions, alpine high temperatures around -8 C.
WEDNESDAY: Scattered flurries with 10-30 cm of new snow, strong wind from the south, alpine high temperatures around -6 C.
THURSDAY: 5-10 cm of new snow, moderate wind from the south, alpine high temperatures around -10 C.
Avalanche Summary
A small (size 1) naturally triggered wind slab was reported on Saturday on a low angle roll in the trees (see photos in this MIN report). Looking ahead fresh wind slabs will form with incoming storms on Wednesday and Friday.
Snowpack Summary
Wind over the past week has ravaged the surface snow, stripping away snow in exposed terrain and depositing it in lee terrain features. Isolated wind slabs may still be found. The prolonged cold temperatures have started to facet the upper snowpack and there has even been some surface hoar starting to develop in the trees. Snow depths at White Pass average around 150 cm; deeper locations (higher terrain west of the highway) have as much as 200 cm. It's reasonable to expect a thin snowpack with sugary facets in the Wheaton Valley, although we don't yet have observations to confirm this.
Terrain and Travel
- Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.
- Be aware of highly variable recent wind loading patterns.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Old slabs from last week's outflow winds may still be possible to trigger, while new snow and wind on Wednesday will form thicker more reactive wind slabs.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 22nd, 2020 4:00PM
