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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 26th, 2024–Dec 27th, 2024

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

Regions

South Columbia, Badshot-Battle, Central Selkirk, Goat, Gold, Kokanee, Retallack, Valhalla, Whatshan.

New snow and wind have made windslabs in open terrain at treeline and in the alpine.

This new snow will test the buried weak layers

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Recent snow and wind have continued avalanche activity in this region with numerous natural and human triggered avalanches, at both treeline and in the alpine. In places these have been large (up to size 2.5).

Avalanches on the early December layer continue on north, east and west facing slopes around 2200 m. This includes large remotely triggered slabs, human triggered as well as cornice-falls triggering slabs on the slope below.

See the photos below for examples.

Snowpack Summary

Recent snow continues to accumulate and is between 20 to 60 cm in depth. This new snow sits on a melt freeze crust on previously sun affected slopes.

A concerning layer of facets, crusts, and in some places surface hoar is buried 60 to 110 cm deep. The distribution is variable throughout this region but it is most prevalent between 1700 to 2300 m.

Cornices are large and fragile from recent winds and mild temperatures.

Treeline snow depths range from 100 to 180 cm.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Friday

Mostly cloudy with flurries. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures -2 °C.

Sunday

Partly cloudy with 5 to 15 cm of snow. 10 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Stay off recently wind loaded slopes until they have had a chance to stabilize.
  • Back off if you encounter whumpfing, hollow sounds, or shooting cracks.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.