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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 9th, 2023–Jan 10th, 2023

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

Kootenay Boundary, Bonnington, Kootenay Pass, Norns, Rossland, South Okanagan, Ymir.

Make conservative terrain choices while buried weak layers persist and new snow takes time to bond to underlying layers.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanche activity has been reported.

Please continue to share any observations or photos on the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 25 cm has fallen in areas since the weekend. This new snow may overlie a layer of preserved surface hoar in areas protected from the wind. A thick, supportive melt-freeze crust is buried by 30 to 60 cm and is present up to roughly 2000 m elevation. Below the crust, the mid-snowpack is generally well consolidated with no layers of concern. A weak layer of facets and a crust buried in November is down 70 to 150 cm from the surface. The lower snowpack below this November weak layer is weak and unconsolidated.

Treeline snow depths are roughly 150 to 200 cm.

Weather Summary

Monday night

Cloudy with flurries, and 2 to 5 cm. Light southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperatures 0 to -5 C.

Tuesday

A mix of sun and cloud, with trace snow in the morning. Light southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperatures -5 to -10 C.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud, with no precipitation. Light southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperatures -5 to -10 C.

Thursday

Cloudy with flurries, 0 to 5 cm. Moderate southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -5 to -10 C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Uncertainty is best managed through conservative terrain choices at this time.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.