Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 13th, 2011 8:44AM

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

Avalanche Canada mpeter, Avalanche Canada

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Wednesday: Expect a weak ridge to develop during the day, giving dry conditions. Clouds will build in the evening with the chance of flurries overnight. Winds should be light and westerly with temperatures reaching -5. Thursday: A chance of flurries with continued westerlies and afternoon temps reaching -5. Expect a ridge to build late in the day and winds to turn northwest. Friday: Dry and predominantly clear, with northwest winds and temperatures reaching -5.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches.

Snowpack Summary

5-10cm of new snow has fallen since the 10th of December. This overlies surface hoar, surface facets, old windslabs and sun crusts (on steep south through west aspects). Winds have been sporadic in this period, creating isolated new soft slabs in immediate lee locations. Moving forward, the avalanche danger will increase as the load increases (either by new snow or wind). Be locally aware of changes and if obvious signs of instability are present (cracking, whumphing, recent activity on adjacent slopes) or rapid loading is taking place (heavy snowfall or strong winds) then scale down your terrain choices accordingly. Snow depths are quite variable through the region with 130-150cm in the alpine. There is still concern for triggering the weak basal facets/depth hoar, as these layers have shown sudden collapse results in stability test in shallow areas.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Old windslabs lurk in lee locations in the alpine.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
The weak facetted layer near the ground may still be triggered in shallow snowpack areas with the common trigger points being convexities, rocks or clumps of small trees.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 5

Valid until: Dec 14th, 2011 8:00AM