Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Dec 8th, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
lbaker,
Avalanche Canada
With 15 cm of new snow available for transport where the wind is blowing, we should expect to find wind slabs. Carefully evaluate each slope for isolated wind slabs before committing.
Summary
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
One natural size 1.5 wind slab avalanche was reported at White Pass in steep, rocky terrain on Thursday.
If you head out in the backcountry please support your community by submitting a MIN report!
Snowpack Summary
15 cm of unconsolidated snow is available for redistribution where wind exists. This sits atop heavily wind-affected surfaces. A faceting crust is found down 20-50 cm on solar aspects but has not been reactive in tests. Treeline averages 80 cm of snow. Up to 100 cm of snow is found in the alpine however winds have made distribution variable.
The lower snowpack consists of soft, sugary facets and a crust near ground level. Many early-season hazards exist at treeline and below such as rocks, stumps, and open creeks.
Weather Summary
Thursday Night
Cloudy with isolated flurries, trace accumulation, southerly ridge winds 20 km/h, temperatures drop to -15 at 1500 m.
Friday
Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries, trace accumulation. Northerly ridge winds 20 - 30 km/h, temperatures continue dropping to -20 at 1500 m.
Saturday
Mostly sunny with northerly ridge winds 20 km/h, temperatures -25 at 1500 m.
Sunday
Clear skies in the morning with increasing clouds in the afternoon. Ridge winds southerly 20 km/h, temperatures rising to - 19 at 1500m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for wind slab hazard before you commit to it.
- Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
- Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Thin wind slabs may exist on isolated features where winds have redistributed new snow into a more cohesive slab.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Dec 9th, 2022 4:00PM
