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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 23rd, 2023–Dec 24th, 2023

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

Regions

Northwest Inland, Kispiox, Microwave-Sinclair, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

Approach ridgelines carefully, wind affected snow may still be reactive to human triggers.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanches have been reported, we expect some natural avalanche activity may have occurred during the recent storm.

If you do go into the backcountry, consider submitting a Mountain Information Network report.

Snowpack Summary

10-20 cm of storm snow has fallen over previously wind-affected surfaces at higher elevations.

Lower elevations received mostly rain and are likely to have moist snow or a surface crust.

Two different surface hoar layers have been reported in the upper snowpack (up to 40 cm deep) and appear to be most prominent at treeline and below. Snowpack depths at treeline are 50 to 100 cm.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy with possible flurries, southerly winds 50 km/h. Freezing levels at valley bottom.

Sunday

Increasing cloud with easing southerly winds, 60 km/h. Possible flurries. Freezing levels remain around 500 m. Treeline temperatures near -7 °C.

Monday

Mostly cloudy with southerly winds, 60-90 km/h. Flurries deliver up to 3 cm. Freezing levels rise to 1000 m, treeline temperatures around -3 °C.

Tuesday

Cloudy, with southwest winds, 50 km/h. Freezing levels reach 1500 m with treeline temperatures around +1 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Carefully assess open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.