Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 10th, 2016 7:44AM

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

esharp, Avalanche Canada

Kootenay Boundary.

Avalanche hazard will continue to decrease as the temperature cools, however pay attention to conditions that change between aspects.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Freezing levels are uncertain

Weather Forecast

FRIDAY: wet snow, up to 10cm overnight and through the day, light southerly winds, freezing level of 1800m. SATURDAY: another 5-10cm of snow overnight, becoming scattered flurries through the day, light westerly winds, freezing level of 1500m. SUNDAY: Light snow through the day, light southwest winds, freezing level of 1700m

Avalanche Summary

Loose wet avalanche activity up to size 2 has been associated with the warm temperatures and strong solar radiation.

Snowpack Summary

Wet or moist snow can be found on solar aspects at all elevations. A thin melt freeze crust may have form surface overnight. Dry snow can still be found on high north facing slope where increasingly hard to trigger wind slabs can be found at ridgeline. A layer of surface hoar has been observed around Rosland and in the Bonnington Range, buried down 40cm, in open areas at and just below treeline. In most other parts of the region a rain crust can be found at this same depth that extends up as high as 2100m.Below this, a thick slab rests on a layer of surface hoar that was buried earlier in January and is now down 80-130 cm. This layer remains a concern in at and bellow treeline, producing sudden planar fractures in snowpack tests under moderate to heavy loads. I'm going to keep it on my radar until the snowpack cools off again. A rain crust from early December sits near the base of the snowpack.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Stubborn wind slabs may be lingering on north aspects in the alpine where the snow has stayed cool.

Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.>

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Persistent Slabs

I'm uncertain about how the prolonged warm temperatures have affected the reactivity of buried weak layers in the snowpack. I'd continue to treat open features around tree line cautiously until the snowpack cools off.

Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to the presence of buried surface hoar. >

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

3 - 5

Valid until: Feb 11th, 2016 2:00PM