Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Jan 5th, 2016 8:02AM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs.
triley,
Avalanche Canada
New snow and wind are developing new wind slabs at higher elevations. Wind slabs may be easy to trigger where they are sitting on buried facets or surface hoar.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain
Weather Forecast
A weak low pressure system is slowly moving from the southern interior towards the northwest. This system is difficult to forecast for snowfall amounts. Generally there is not a lot of moisture associated with this low pressure, however some areas may receive another 10-15 cm of light dry snow overnight and Wednesday. Models do not agree with respect to freezing levels; I am siding with the high resolution model that shows freezing levels rising up to about 1300 metres on Wednesday, rising slightly on Thursday, and returning to valley bottoms by Friday. Winds are expected to be moderate from the southeast in the alpine on Wednesday, and then light easterly for the remainder of the forecast period.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches reported. Loose snow sluffing in steep terrain continues to be reported.
Snowpack Summary
Thin new windslabs have developed over a mix of old surfaces left behind after the recent inversion and clear alpine skies. These old surfaces include surface hoar, near surface facets, and possible sun crusts on steep southerly aspects. Some areas of the western Cariboos around Wells Grey are reporting variable snow depths with treeline height of snow around 150 cm. Shallow snowpack areas may have weak facetted crystals near the ground.
Problems
Wind Slabs
New snow and wind may develop new wind slabs at higher elevations. Wind slabs may be easy to trigger where they are sitting on loose facetted crystals or surface hoar. Buried sun crusts may act as an easy sliding layer for loose dry snow.
Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain. >Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow. >Avoid cross loaded slopes at or above treeline.>
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Jan 6th, 2016 2:00PM
