Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 13th, 2013 8:27AM

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.

jlammers, Avalanche Canada

Kootenay Boundary.

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

Saturday: Light snowfall / Moderate to strong southwest winds / Freezing level at 1300mSunday: Light snowfall / Moderate west winds / Freezing level at 1600mMonday: Light snowfall / Moderate southwest winds / Freezing level at 1100m

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches have been reported in the last few days.

Snowpack Summary

Dribs and drabs of recent snowfall now overlie generally faceted surfaces that formed during the recent cold snap. At the same buried interface you may find small surface hoar on sheltered slopes or older hard windslabs in exposed high elevation terrain. Between 35 and 60cm below the surface you may find a weak layer of surface hoar on sheltered north facing slopes and a crust on steep solar aspects. In some areas the overlying snowpack has not yet settled into a cohesive slab required for slab avalanche activity. This may change with warming forecast for the weekend.There are reports of a deeply buried early season crust that formed in October, this layer is more likely to be found in the high alpine on northerly aspects. Little is known about its reactivity in this region.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Light amounts of new snow may be hiding hard wind slabs which formed by northerly winds during the last cold snap. This atypical loading pattern has the potential to catch riders and skiers by surprise.

Avoid travelling in areas that have been reverse loaded by winds.>The recent snow may now be hiding windslabs that were easily visible before the snow fell.>

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

A weak interface buried at the end of November is now buried by up to 60cm of snow. Triggering this layer may be more likely in areas where the overlying snow has settled into a cohesive slab.

Dig down to find and test weak layers before committing to a line.>Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.>

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Valid until: Dec 14th, 2013 2:00PM