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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 4th, 2022–Jan 5th, 2022

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

Regions

Cariboos.

Triggering avalanches is possible in areas where the snow has been wind-affected or has settled into a heavier slab. The best and safest riding will be in sheltered terrain.

Confidence

Moderate - A small change in the upper snowpack could dramatically change avalanche conditions.

Weather Forecast

TUESDAY NIGHT: Clear skies, light wind from the north, treeline temperatures drop to -25 C.

WEDNESDAY: Mostly clear skies, no precipitation, light wind from the west, treeline temperatures reach -20 C.

THURSDAY: Cloudy with light flurries and 5-10 cm of low density snow, moderate wind from the south with gusts to 60 km/h, treeline temperatures reach -16 C.

FRIDAY: Another 5 cm of snow by the morning then partly cloudy skies throughout the day, moderate wind from the southwest with gusts to 50 km/h, treeline temperatures around -15 C.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported on Monday.

On the weekend, several small (size 1-1.5) natural and skier triggered wind slabs were reported near ridgelines on alpine slopes. One cornice fall triggered a small wind slab on the slope below. 

A large persistent slab avalanche was observed in the region on Dec 29. It was believed to have released naturally around 2200 m on a steep northwest facing slope.

Snowpack Summary

20-40 cm of low density snow has fallen since Jan 1. In open terrain this snow has been redistributed by strong winds. Observations suggest this snow has been bonding to the older snow layers in most areas, but there are potentially some exceptions, such as western areas near Barkerville where it may sit above a spotty surface hoar layer. There have also been some isolated reports of buried surface hoar layers 30-70 cm deep in the Barkerville area, but no recent evidence that these layers are problematic.

The early December crust sits 80-120 cm deep in the snowpack, with a layer of faceted crystals above. This interface is present in the southeastern Cariboos (e.g. Clearwater to Blue River), and has caused some large and destructive avalanches in North Columbia region.

Terrain and Travel

  • The best and safest riding will be on slopes that have soft snow without any slab properties.
  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.
  • Back off if you encounter whumpfing, hollow sounds, or shooting cracks.

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.