Avalanche forecast

Cariboos

Dec 17 – 18, 2011Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

For more information on the effects of incremental loading, please check out our forecasters blog by clicking the tab at the bottom of the forecast page.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–4
    Expect windslab development on lee and cross-loaded features. Anticipate loading lower on the slope with forecast high winds. These windslabs may be sliding easily on the recently buried surface hoar.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    3–6
    Variable snow depths may make it possible to trigger a deeper instability on steep, unsupported terrain features. Areas that get more new snow may have enough load to make this layer active again.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–4
    The new storm snow may settle into a cohesive slab that could be touchy to human triggers. Cooler temperatures should re-freeze moist snow at lower elevations.

Confidence

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Sunday

Weather Forecast

A cold front is expected to move through the interior on Saturday night. This trailing cold front will follow in the wake of the warm air that we saw on Saturday and is forecast to bring another 10 cm by Sunday morning to the North and West regions of the Monashees and Cariboos. Less snow is forecast for the South and East areas of the Selkirks and Purcells. Freezing levels are expected to fall back to valley bottoms as cold air and moderate to strong Northwest winds move over the interior. Sunday is expected to be mostly dry but probably still overcast. Clearer and colder weather should be across the interior on Monday. The next Pacific system is expected to start moving in from the coast on Tuesday. It is a little early to determine intensity and timing for the next system.

Avalanche Summary

Sluffing and ski-cuts up to size 1.0 reported by operators in this region. Most operators have not been in the alpine due to strong winds and poor visibility.

Snowpack Summary

A cold front is expected to move through the interior on Saturday night. This trailing cold front will follow in the wake of the warm air that we saw on Saturday and is forecast to bring another 10 cm by Sunday morning to the North and West regions of the Monashees and Cariboos. Less snow is forecast for the South and East areas of the Selkirks and Purcells. Freezing levels are expected to fall back to valley bottoms as cold air and moderate to strong Northwest winds move over the interior. Sunday is expected to be mostly dry but probably still overcast. Clearer and colder weather should be across the interior on Monday. The next Pacific system is expected to start moving in from the coast on Tuesday. It is a little early to determine intensity and timing for the next system.

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