Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 31st, 2016 4:00PM
The alpine rating is Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.
, the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems includeManage overhead exposure carefully and make judicious terrain choices as large slides are likely at all elevations. Potentially still exists for human triggering.
Summary
Weather Forecast
Cooling temperatures (-10 to -15), very light snowfall coupled with light wind for the next few days.
Snowpack Summary
Windslabs in alpine and treeline areas, and new cornices in the alpine. 40-70cm of snow sits over the Jan 6 surface hoar/facet layer and is reactive to skier triggering. We have experienced many large whumphs over the last several days with failures on both the Jan 6 surface hoar/facets, and in the mid pack facets below this layer.
Avalanche Summary
No avalanches observed or reported today. However, an extensive natural cycle of avalanches up to size 3 during the past 72 hours with slabs propagating up to several hundred meters and over 40cm deep on many slopes. Conditions remain ripe for human triggering and occasional large natural avalanches.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Recent wind has built soft slabs 50 to 70cm deep in lee areas and established fragile new growth on cornices. Although these slabs generally exist at upper elevations, avalanches have the potential to run a long distance.
- Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.
- Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded features
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
30-70 cm of settled snow overlies the Jan 6 layer of surface hoar and facets. This continues to be reactive to both human triggering with potential for failures to step down into deeper snowpack layers and result in large avalanches.
- Avoid open slopes with any steepness over 30 degrees.
- Avoid open slopes and convex rolls at and below treeline where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 1st, 2016 4:00PM