Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 14th, 2016 8:09AM

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

andrew jones, Parks Canada

Glacier.

Evaluate the storm slab as you move through terrain today. Conditions will vary based on aspect and elevation.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Cloudy today with isolated flurries, alpine high of -4, SW winds gusting to strong and freezing levels below 1500m. A the next front in a series of approaching systems is set to arrive later this evening, bringing 12cm of snow overnight. Monday returns to clouds and isolated flurries before another pulse arrives Monday night, with another 10-15cm.

Snowpack Summary

20cm of snow overnight brings the storm total to approximately 50cm since Feb 10. Strong southerly winds persisted over the last several days, loading lee areas and creating a reactive slab. On solar aspects this slab sits on a crust. Wind slabs on most aspects in the alpine and tree-line and may be concealed by new snow. Moist snow below 1700m.

Avalanche Summary

We received a report of a skier accidental slab avalanche size 1.5 on the lower slopes of Mt Cheops in the Connaught valley, N aspect, 1780m, 40cm deep. This area is typically affected by outflow winds. This slide likely failed on the Feb 10 storm interface. 5 size 2.5 wind slab avalanches were observed on the N face of Mt MacDonald.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Problems

Wind Slabs

20cm of new snow and moderate to strong southerly winds have contributed to loading on lee features. The new snow has also concealed previously developed wind slabs that are easily triggered.

If triggered the storm/wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Storm Slabs

50cm of storm snow sits on isolated pockets of surface hoar and a curst on solar aspects. Warm temps at low elevations and strong southerly winds have encouraged slab development. Stability tests show that this layer susceptible to skier triggering.

Use caution in lee areas. Recent snowfall mixed with wind loading has created storm slabs.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Feb 15th, 2016 8:00AM