Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 21st, 2017 3:13PM

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

Avalanche Canada triley, Avalanche Canada

Wind slabs may be found on several aspects at higher elevations due to the changing wind directions.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Tonight: High overcast with some broken skies, a chance of flurries, moderate northwest winds and at least -10 in the alpine. Wednesday: Mix of sun and cloud with moderate northwest winds and close to -15 in the alpine. Thursday: Mostly sunny with a chance of strong northeast outflow winds developing. Friday: Clear with moderate to strong northeast winds and -15 in the alpine.

Avalanche Summary

Some size 1.0 soft slab or loose snow avalanches were reported on Monday from areas just west and north of Terrace, and some small wind slabs were skier controlled in areas near Stewart. No new natural avalanches reported.

Snowpack Summary

Overcast skies and a couple of cm of new snow has not changed the snowpack structure since the weekend. A new layer of surface hoar may have been buried overnight or early Monday morning. Clear cold weather and shifting winds have created a variety of surface conditions including isolated wind slabs, pockets of soft snow (15-25 cm deep), sun crusts, and surface hoar. A supportive rain crust exists below 1000 m. A layer of surface hoar that was buried on February 10th can be found buried 30-60 cm deep at treeline elevations and has been reactive in some recent snowpack tests. Below this layer, the snowpack is generally settled and strong. The exception is shallow snowpack areas around Bear Pass and Ningunsaw where basal facets remain an ongoing concern.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Wind slabs likely exist on a variety of aspects, including fresh wind slabs formed by outflow winds and lingering wind slabs from last week's storm.
Be alert to conditions that change with elevation.Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.Use caution above cliffs where small avalanches may have severe consequences.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Feb 22nd, 2017 2:00PM