Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Nov 25th, 2014 8:01AM

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

Ali Haeri, Parks Canada

Glacier.

The winter permit system will be in effect on Thursday the 27th of November. Click here for information.Whoomphing and cracking, buried surface hoar and crust with big storms will keep the hazard elevated. Time for conservative decisions.

Summary

Weather Forecast

We have a break between storms today. Light flurries with temperatures hovering around -5 at 1500m. Next wave is forecast to hit the interior late tonight early tomorrow morning with moderate to heavy amounts into Thursday with moderate to strong westerly winds.

Snowpack Summary

25 cm fell overnight bringing the storm snow to ~75cm at 1900m over the Nov 21 surface hoar/sun crust layer. The Nov 9 rain crust is down ~80-100cm. Higher elevations below tree line are filled in enough to warrant avalanche concerns. Snowpack tests at 1935m produced resistant planar results on the Nov 21 and Nov 9 layers.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanches in the highway corridor east of the Rogers Pass summit reaching onto their fans up to size 3.0.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Wednesday

Problems

Storm Slabs

Reports from riders yesterday are of lots of whoomphing and cracking around Bruins Ridge in Connaught and visible wind affect. We've have another 25cm since which would make things more dangerous. Buried surface hoar and crust are suspect weak layers

Whumpfing, shooting cracks and recent avalanches are all strong inicators of unstable snowpack.Avoid freshly wind loaded features.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Loose Dry

Steep sheltered open slopes and gullies between 1500 and 1900m where the skiing looks most inviting is where you want to watch out for loose avalanches where they will gain mass quickly.

Be aware of party members below you that may be exposed to your sluffs.Watch for terrain traps where small amounts of snow will acumulate into deep deposits.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Nov 26th, 2014 8:00AM