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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 5th, 2021–Dec 6th, 2021

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

Look for pockets of powder in sheltered areas and depressions. The fresh snow is poorly bonded to the crust, be mindful that increasing winds can form new slabs.

Confidence

High - The snowpack structure is generally well understood.

Weather Forecast

SUNDAY NIGHT: Increasing cloud and flurries. Northwest wind, 15-20 km/hr. Alpine low temperature -18 C. Freezing level valley bottom. 

MONDAY: Flurries and cloud, clearing in the afternoon, trace to 5 cm accumulation. Variable wind 15-25 km/hr. Alpine high temperature -8 C. Freezing level valley bottom. 

TUESDAY: Increasing cloud and winds. West-southwest wind 20-30 increasing to 40 km/hr. Alpine high temperature -9 C. Freezing level valley bottom.

WEDNESDAY: Overnight flurries, 5-15 cm accumulation through the day. Southwest wind, 20-40 km/hr. Alpine high temperature -5 C. Freezing level below 1000 m. 

Avalanche Summary

The last avalanche reports come from Wednesday, Dec 1, when large (size 2) natural wet avalanches failed in steep treeline features around the Highway 3 corridor near Stagleap Provincial Park. The Okanagan edge of the Kootenay-Boundary also reported evidence of a natural storm cycle up to size 2.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 15 cm low density snow is poorly bonded to a widespread and supportive crust. Fun pockets of powder may be found in sheltered areas and depressions. The snowpack is generally well consolidated, at upper elevations a few crusts may be found in the lower snowpack. At mid and lower elevations the entire snowpack was saturated and is now frozen and uniform.

Snowpack depths at treeline range from 50-110 cm, with alpine depths exceeding 120 cm in areas. Below 1800m, snowpack depths decrease rapidly with poor coverage in many below treeline areas.

Check out our latest Forecaster Blog here.

Terrain and Travel

  • Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and wind exposure.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.