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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 17th, 2025–Jan 18th, 2025

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

Regions

Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Howson, Microwave-Sinclair.

The recent storm snow will need time to settle and stabilize, and human triggering is likely.

Deep instabilities are still present and have produced recent large avalanches.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday, reports of a natural avalanche cycle occurred during the storm up to size 3. In the Shames backcountry, numerous avalanches up to size 2 were reported.

Natural avalanche activity will likely taper but human triggered avalanches are likely through the weekend.

Snowpack Summary

Earlier this week, the storm dropped 30 to 80 cm of snow across the region. Strong to extreme west through southwest wind created widespread wind effect, with deeper deposits of snow on leeward slopes. Forecast changing winds may start to load southerly aspects throughout the weekend. The recent storm snow tapers dramatically with elevation. and 5 to 10 cm sits above a firm melt-freeze crust.

Down 50 to 100 cm a layer of surface hoar, facets, or a thin crust exists.

A persistent weak layer of surface hoar and facets overlying a crust is buried 120 to 200 cm deep.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Saturday

Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 25 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Sunday

Cloudy with sunny periods. 10 to 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level valley bottom. Above freezing layer in the alpine.

Monday

Cloudy with isolated flurries. 20 gusting to 35 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3. Freezing level valley bottom.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • 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.
  • Recent wind has varied in direction, so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.