Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 27th, 2021 4:00PM

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

Avalanche Canada ldreier, Avalanche Canada

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Where winds reach more than 20 km/h and impact loose snow, fresh wind slabs are likely to form in alpine lee terrain features.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the speed, direction, or duration of the wind and its effect on the snowpack.

Weather Forecast

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with isolated flurries, trace to 3 cm of new snow, moderate southwest wind at treeline and strong in the alpine, treeline temperatures around -8 C.

THURSDAY: Mainly sunny with cloudy periods and scattered flurries, trace to 2 cm new snow, light to moderate southwest wind, treeline temperatures around -5 C.

FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries, trace of new snow, light southwest wind, treeline temperatures around -6 C.

SATURDAY: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries, trace to 2 cm new snow, light southwest wind, treeline temperatures around -8 C.

Avalanche Summary

Loose dry avalanches (sluffs) in steep alpine and treeline features were reported on Monday. 

Snowpack Summary

Up to 25 cm recent low density snow that has buried surface hoar and other old surfaces. In the alpine, new snow sits on top of layers of hard wind slab, scoured areas, sastrugi and isolated pockets of soft snow. A hard crust is found up to 1700 m.    

A solid mid-pack sits above a deeply buried crust and facet layers near the bottom of the snowpack (150-200 cm deep), which are currently unreactive. 

Terrain and Travel

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Be carefull with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Wind from the southwest continues at moderate levels at treeline and strong levels in the alpine Wednesday night and decreases Thursday morning with a few cm's of new snow. Where winds reach upward of 20 km/h and impact loose snow, fresh wind slabs are likely to form around ridge crests or in lee alpine terrain. 

Cornices might grow larger and more fragile with the wind.  

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 28th, 2021 4:00PM