Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 29th, 2023 4:00PM

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

Avalanche Canada isnowsell, Avalanche Canada

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Wind slabs formed during recent strong outflow winds linger in exposed alpine terrain. While numerous buried weak layers demand careful terrain selection.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

The recent cold weather has tightened and stabilized the upper snowpack, reducing the number of avalanche activity.

Backcountry users continue to report evidence of a significant avalanche cycle during the recent warm, wet, and windy weather early in the week. The majority of these avalanches were wind slabs, however, a number of avalanches stepped down to buried persistent layers, creating large, scary avalanches, like this one nearby in the Telkwa area on Friday.

If you are out in the backcountry please consider filling out a Mountain Information Network report.

Snowpack Summary

Recent strong outflow winds have stripped northerly aspects throughout the alpine, redistributing the snow into pockets of wind slab on lee, southerly terrain. While at lower elevations a widespread, supportive, melt-freeze crust exists on the surface up to roughly 1900 m and has prevented the wind from transporting much snow.

The mid and lower snowpack continues to bond and stabilize while a number of buried weak layers remain a concern and have produced a number of large recent avalanches.

Weather Summary

Sunday night

Clear, with no precipitation. Treeline temperatures 0 to -5 C, with alpine temperature inversion. Light to moderate northwest alpine winds.

Monday

Cloudy with sunny periods, and afternoon flurries, with trace amounts of snow. Treeline temperatures 0 to -10 C. Moderate to strong northwest alpine winds.

Tuesday

Cloudy with snow, 5 to 10 cm. Treeline temperatures -5 to -10 C. Strong southwest alpine winds.

Wednesday

Cloudy with snow, 5 to 10 cm. Treeline temperatures -5 to -10 C. Moderate southwest alpine winds.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind exposed terrain.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs

Wind slabs formed during recent periods of strong outflow winds will continue to linger in steep, exposed alpine terrain.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs

A number of buried weak layers remain possible to trigger. These layers appear to be most problematic in upper treeline/lower alpine elevations, in shallow, rocky start zones.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1.5 - 3.5

Valid until: Jan 30th, 2023 4:00PM