Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 15th, 2017 8:03AM

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

percy woods, Parks Canada

Glacier.

Warm temperatures, moderate winds and precipitation in the form of snow/rain coming today. Conservative route selection is prudent today.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Cloudy with flurries and potentially 5cm accumulation. Wind SW in the moderate range is forecast and a freezing level of 1800m. Another 16cm is expected tonight through Tuesday along with moderate S-SW winds.

Snowpack Summary

Storm snow continues to settle assisted by mild temperatures. Solar aspect surfaces into the alpine will have become moist and possibly refrozen in the last 24hrs. S-SW moderate winds will have formed windslab in the immediate lee of ridge lines. Weak layers have been observed 25 and 60cm down. This includes Jan 25 suncrust on steep solar aspects.

Avalanche Summary

A dozen moist avalanches to size 2.5 were observed along the highway corridor mainly releasing on steep solar aspects. A size 2 solar released slide was observed on the SE aspect of Ross Peak yesterday morning before 10am.

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain

Problems

Persistent Slabs

The January 25th sun crust, weak layer is buried down approx 60cm. Before last week's storm it was giving easy sudden planar results and was reactive to human triggering. Warming surface layers may reawaken this layer today.

Use extra caution on solar slopes or if the snow is moist or wet.Dig down to find and test weak layers before committing to a line.

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

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Wind Slabs

Moderate S-SW winds were moving snow along alpine ridges yesterday. Expect fresh windslab along the immediate lee of alpine wind exposed features.

Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Feb 16th, 2017 8:00AM