Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 16th, 2012 8:07AM

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

danyelle magnan, Parks Canada

Glacier.

We've been enjoying excellent early season conditions. Regardless, maintain safe travel practices; choose safe re-group locations, don't expose multiple people at a time, plan your escape routes and identify safe zones before committing to your line.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Scattered flurries, with less than 5cm of new snow, light-moderate SW winds, alpine temps of -10 and a chance of sunny periods, are expected today. A low pressure system will move over the region on Monday. Moderate to strong S to W winds and 10-15cm of snow is expected by the end of the day. On Tuesday, building high pressure will bring more sun.

Snowpack Summary

In the alpine and at treeline 40-50cm of loose storm snow overlies a well settled snowpack. Tests show that the interface beneath the storm snow may be triggerable by a skier but is resistant to move (RP). The Nov28 surface hoar down 80cm is hard to find and where it exists is breaking down. The early Nov crust down 1.5m would be hard to trigger.

Avalanche Summary

With no new snow and light winds yesterday, no new avalanches were observed. On Friday, avalanche technicians traveling in the Illecillewaet and Asulkan drainages observed no new avalanches, nor did they experience any sluffing while skiing steep S and W facing slopes.

Confidence

Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

Problems

Wind Slabs

Isolated windslabs and windloaded pockets have been buried in the immediate lees of ridgecrests. They are more likely in places where even a small avalanche would have high consequences; steep, complex terrain.

Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.Enter your line well below ridge crests to avoid wind loaded pillows.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Dec 17th, 2012 8:00AM