Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 8th, 2016 7:56AM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is considerable. Known problems include Loose Wet, Wind Slabs and Persistent Slabs.

Avalanche Canada esharp, Avalanche Canada

Make conservative terrain choices and be mindful of overhead hazard while the region's complex snowpack reacts to the spring-like temperatures.

Summary

Confidence

High

Weather Forecast

A strong temperature inversion persist with an above freezing layer in the alpine. Valley cloud will linger bellow 1500 to 1800m. TUESDAY: sunny in the alpine, a freezing level of 3500m, light southwesterly winds. WEDNESDAY: sunny with scattered clouds with a possibility of light rain showers in the afternoon, a freezing level of 2800m, moderate westerly winds. THURSDAY: mainly cloudy, light westerly winds, freezing level of 2500m.

Avalanche Summary

Near Rossland, three size 1.5, skier triggered avalanches were reported over the weekend that occurred in wind loaded features between 1800m and 1900m on the late January surface hoar.

Snowpack Summary

Warm temperatures are encouraging the rapid settlement of the upper snow pack and moist snow can be found on solar aspects. A thin melt freeze crust may form on the surface overnight. 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. A rain crust from early December sits near the base of the snowpack.

Problems

Loose Wet

An icon showing Loose Wet
Spring like temperatures and strong sun are expected to drive a natural loose wet avalanche cycle. These avalanches could gather significant mass along their path.
Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet.>

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

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely - Very Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Daytime warming will increase the sensitivity of old wind slabs and weaken cornices.
Stay off recent wind loaded areas until the slope has had a chance to stabilize.>Watch for clues, like sluffing off of cliffs, that the snowpack is warming up. >

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 4

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
A smaller avalanche in motion could step down to a variety of buried persistent weak layers in the snowpack.
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 9th, 2016 2:00PM