Avalanche forecast

South Coast Inland

Dec 12, 2017Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 9 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

With warm temperatures expected to continue for the next few days watch for changing surface conditions.  Expect crusts to breakdown quickly with moist or wet snow on solar aspects, while dry snow may still exist in shaded areas.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–2
    It may still be possible to trigger moist or wet snow on steep or unsupported terrain features. Once moving these releases can gain mass quickly and catch you off guard.

Confidence

High - The weather pattern is stable

Weather Forecast

TUESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Ridge winds light from the west. Temperature 1. Freezing level 2000m. WEDNESDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Ridge wind light from the northeast. Temperature 2. Freezing level 2000m.THURSDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Ridge wind light from the southwest. Temperature 3. Freezing level 3000m.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous loose wet avalanches up to size 2 were observed on northerly aspects along Duffey Lake Road on Sunday. Last week, numerous small loose wet avalanches (size 1) were observed on steep south and west-facing slopes on Wednesday and Thursday, while glide avalanches to size 2 were also observed on steep, smooth rock slabs around the Coquihalla on Thursday.

Snowpack Summary

The recent alpine inversion and warm temperatures have created a variety of surfaces across the region depending on aspect. On southerly aspects, a spring-like surface crust has formed but will breakdown quickly with warm temperatures and high freezing levels expected to continue. On shaded north aspects, surface hoar and surface facets have formed, however at least in the Duffey Lake area, these were moistened and melted by cloudy skies and warm temperatures on Sunday. The upper snowpack is and well settled and appears to have bonded well to the late November rain crust, now 20-50 cm deep. Recent snowpack tests have produced hard, resistant compression test results on small facets associated with this layer. Treeline snow depths are approximately 1 m throughout the region.

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