Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 16th, 2012 9:29AM

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

Avalanche Canada jlammers, Avalanche Canada

Summary

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Friday: Trace amounts of snow / light to moderate southwest winds / Freezing level at 700m Saturday: Trace amounts of snow / moderate to strong easterly winds / Freezing level at 600m Sunday: Trace amounts of snow / light southerly winds / freezing level at 600m

Avalanche Summary

A size 1 skier-triggered wind slab was observed on a northeast alpine feature on Wednesday.

Snowpack Summary

Light amounts of recent snowfall now sit on top of a strong melt freeze crust that exists below 1000m on all aspects and wind-pressed powder on shaded alpine features. Variable winds have redistributed surface snow into isolated pockets of wind slab on a variety of aspects in the alpine, although the reactivity of these windslabs has been most recently described as stubborn. The aforementioned new snow may overly buried a surface hoar layer (crystal size reported to be 1-4 mm) at treeline and below. This surface hoar layer seems most prevalent in protected inland areas. Deeper within the snowpack, a facet layer buried around Jan 20th is the greatest concern although triggering seems unlikely. This layer lies approximately 110-140 cm below the surface and still exhibits hard, sudden planar results in isolated snowpack tests.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Snow and variable winds will have set up wind slabs at treeline and in the alpine.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Feb 17th, 2012 9:00AM