Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 16th, 2012 10:35AM

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

Avalanche Canada ghelgeson, Avalanche Canada

Summary

Confidence

Fair - Track of incoming weather is uncertain

Weather Forecast

The region is firmly in the grips of an Arctic Air mass. It looks like this pattern will persist through at least Thursday. Tomorrow looks very similar to today. Brutally cold temperatures: At 1500 m expect a high of -24 and low of -31. Winds will be blowing at moderate to strong values out of the E, NE at all elevations. Bundle up!

Avalanche Summary

Several natural slab avalanches to size 2 were reported on S through SW facing slopes on Monday.

Snowpack Summary

Outflow winds have redistributed the low density snow from the last storm into widespread hard & soft slabs that can be found in the alpine and at treeline. In wind sheltered areas the storm snow has been bonding quite well to the old snow surface, but it's getting pretty tough to find wind sheltered areas with the recent onslaught of brutally cold arctic winds. A thin wind slab is being reported in wind exposed areas below treeline as well.This is a very large region, and it should be noted that some areas are not seeing any wind effect at all.Snowpack depths vary from 3.5 to 5 m across the region. In this part of the province, the mid-December surface hoar/facet combo layer is inactive as it's now 2.5 m below the snow surface. For the most part, avalanche concerns are limited to storm snow instabilities.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Strong winds out of the North - East associated with Arctic Air have formed widespread wind slabs. Watch for wind slabs & cross loaded slopes in wind exposed areas at all elevations. Choose travel routes carefully to avoid wind loaded snow.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

2 - 5

Loose Dry

An icon showing Loose Dry
Watch for sluffing in the top 30 cm of the snowpack in areas that are sheltered from the wind.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Jan 18th, 2012 8:00AM