Avalanche forecast

Northwest Inland

Jan 18 – 19, 2013Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 14 years ago

Avalanche danger

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

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–4
    Strong westerly winds have created windslabs on lee terrain. With higher than normal wind values, watch for loading lower on the slope and in other unsuspecting locations.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–4
    A layer of surface hoar buried at the end of December may still be reactive. Watch for triggering in sheltered, unsupported terrain.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–5
    A deeply buried facet/crust weakness exists near the base of the snowpack. This layer could be triggered by large loads such as a cornice collapse or from a thin-spot trigger point.

Confidence

Fair - Due to limited field observations

Weather Forecast

Only trace amounts of new snow are expected for the forecast period. Winds should remain mainly light to moderate from the southwest with freezing levels hovering between 800-900m.

Avalanche Summary

There have been no recent avalanche observations.

Snowpack Summary

Rain below treeline has continued to maintain moist surfaces at lower elevations, although a nightly crust recovery is likely with forecast clear skies . Light to moderate amounts of new snow and strong to extreme winds at higher elevations have most likely formed hard windslabs in the lee of terrain breaks and ridges.A surface hoar layer that was buried at the end of December is now down 60-80 cm, and was reactive in some areas with recent warming. An otherwise strong mid-pack overlies a weak base layer of facets/depth hoar and the remnants of a crust.

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