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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 5th, 2024–Jan 6th, 2024

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Boundary, Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Stewart, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw.

Assess for wind-affected snow before committing to consequential terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several wind slab avalanches (size 1 to 2) were triggered by skiers near Terrace on Thursday. These occurred up to 50 cm deep on north and east-facing slopes at treeline and were especially easy to trigger on convex rollovers.

A few small wind slab and loose dry avalanches were also observed in the north of the region on Thursday. The wind slabs were in alpine terrain on north-facing slopes.

Check out this MIN report describing conditions in the backcountry near Shames.

Snowpack Summary

Storm totals since Wednesday may reach 20 to 50 cm by Saturday morning. Totals will be higher in the south and west of the region. Southerly winds have likely blown soft snow into deeper and touchier deposits in lee terrain features.

This snow overlies a melt-freeze crust below 1600 m.

The remainder of the snowpack is strong with various hard crusts.

Snow depths are highly variable throughout the region, ranging from 100 to 300 cm at treeline and tapering rapidly below.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with 5 to 15 cm snow, south alpine wind 20 to 40 km/h, treeline temperature -5 ºC, freezing level 500 m.

Saturday

Mix of sun and cloud with trace snow, northwest alpine wind 10 to 20 km/h, treeline temperature -7 ºC.

Sunday

A mix of sun and cloud with no precipitation, northwest alpine wind 10 to 20 km/h, treeline temperature -6 ºC.

Monday

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm snow, west alpine wind 30 to 60 km/h, treeline temperature -5 ºC.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
  • Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
  • Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.

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.