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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 30th, 2012–Dec 31st, 2012

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

Confidence

Good

Weather Forecast

Monday-Wednesday: Expect benign weather with light winds, alpine temperatures around -5 and no precipitation.

Avalanche Summary

 Small skier-triggered wind slabs and loose snow sluffing have been reported.

Snowpack Summary

Wind slabs may be found behind terrain breaks such as ridges, ribs and gully walls. A generally settled upper snowpack overlies the late November surface hoar, buried down 115-130 cm. Recent test results are inconsistent, but an avalanche failed on this layer in the Rossland Range on Christmas Eve. A deeply buried crust/facet layer near the base of the snowpack is considered dormant. Although unlikely, there is a lingering possibility of triggering a deep avalanche, especially from thin snowpack areas.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.