Avalanche forecast

South Rockies

Dec 2 – 3, 2012Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    2–4
    We have not heard of any new releases on this early season rain crust. The new storm snow may create enough of a load to activate this layer. Look for signs of deep releases on steep terrain in the alpine during the storm.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–4
    New storm slabs have developed in the alpine that are 20-30 cms deep. Some pockets of wind slab may develop at higher elevations near ridge tops. The new snow has been reported as moist at treeline.

Confidence

Poor - Due to limited field observations for the entire period

Weather Forecast

Overnight and Monday: Light precipitation overnight should bring 4-6 mm to most of the region, areas to the west may see closer to 10 mm. Very strong winds are forecast overnight, and strong winds are expected from the SW on Monday.Tuesday: The next Pacific system is expected to bring a lot of moisture to the south and west of the region. The north and east parts of the region may only see 5-10 mm. Strong winds and high freezing levels will affect the areas that see the most moisture.Wednesday: Precipitation amounts should be light in the wake of the storm and freezing levels should drop down to near the valley bottom.

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanche observations.

Snowpack Summary

A report from near Harvey Pass tells us that there is about 25 cms of storm snow that is "damp" at treeline and the ski penetration is only about 20 cms. The November crust was found to be buried down about 60 cms and was associated with a layer of facets either directly above or below. Light winds were not transporting much snow in this area. Alpine elevations may be quite different, as most of the recent precipitation has fallen as snow. We are hoping that the storm snow will bond well as temperatures cool, this may still take a day or two.

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