Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Flathead, Lizard, Lizard-Flathead.
A buried weak layer exists.
Watch for signs of instability, like whumpfing, and change your plan accordingly.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
On Sunday, large whumpfs were reported near the Fernie ski resort which indicate an unstable snowpack.
There were numerous, small dry loose avalanches, both natural- and rider-triggered on the weekend.
Snowpack Summary
20 to 30 cm of snow has fallen since Friday and may have formed deeper deposits in lee areas due to the wind near ridge top.
The storm snow is sitting on 30 to 60 cm of faceted old snow. Below this is a persistent weak layer buried in late January. Which is a crust on sun-exposed slopes, and facets and/or surface hoar elsewhere.
The mid and lower snowpack is generally well settled, with no other layers of concern.
Weather Summary
Monday Night
Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny. 10 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -13 °C.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny. 15 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
Thursday
A mix of sun and clouds with 1 cm of snow. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Fresh snow rests on a problematic persistent slab, don't let good riding lure you into complacency.
- Use appropriate sluff management techniques.
- Make observations and continually assess conditions as you travel.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
The late January weak layer is a problem where the snow above it is stiff and slabby. Read more about it in our Blog.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1.5 - 2.5
Loose Dry
Light, dry snow may gather mass as it moves downhill. Avoid being underneath steep features and above one another.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely - Very Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2