New snow and wind will continue to build wind slabs in the alpine and tree line elevations. Triggering persistent slabs from thin snowpack areas remains a concern in the north of the region.
Summary
Confidence
Low - Due to the number of field observations
Weather Forecast
MONDAY: Cloudy with flurries, accumulation 5-10 cm / moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -6TUESDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries, accumulation up to 5 cm / Moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -7WEDNESDAY: Cloudy with sunny breaks / Light to moderate southwest wind / Alpine temperature -8
Avalanche Summary
Friday there was a report of a helicopter remotely triggering a Size 2.5 wind slab from above the slope on a west aspect at 1500 m north of Kispiox. Thursday there was a report of skiers, north of Kispiox, remotely triggering a Size 2-2.5 avalanche from a safe location on a ridge that released on the adjacent slope on a northwest aspect at 1650 m. A weak layer buried late-December was the suspected failure plane.
Snowpack Summary
Recent light snowfalls have gradually brought 20-60 cm of new snow across the region. This new snow lies over a crust and/or weak feathery surface hoar layer buried in mid-January. The crust exists well into the alpine and the surface hoar can be found in sheltered areas in the lower alpine and treeline elevations. Below, there are two separate crust and/or surface hoar layers that were buried late-December and mid-December. They are 50-80 cm below the surface. In the past week these deeper layers have produced hard but sudden results in snowpack tests and have been the suspected weak layer in recent large remotely (from a distance) triggered avalanches.
mbender,
Avalanche Canada
