Avalanche forecast

Kootenay Boundary

Dec 31, 2013 – Jan 1, 2014Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Continued light snowfall and moderate winds are keeping wind slabs fresh and weak. Use extra caution below ridge crests and behind terrain features in exposed terrain.

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Thursday

Weather Forecast

Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud with no precipitation expected. Freezing levels in valley bottoms and moderate NW ridge top winds. Thursday: Cloud with light snow bringing around 5cm of accumulation. Strong westerly alpine winds and freezing levels as high as 1400m. Friday: Light snow with another 2-5cm of accumulation, moderate NW winds and freezing levels in valley bottoms.

Avalanche Summary

Reports from Monday are limited to small pockets of wind slab reacting to ski cuts on leeward features at ridgetop, and sluffing in steep terrain. Several whummpfs were also observed during regroups at approximately 1700m.

Snowpack Summary

Continued light amounts of snow accumulation brings recent totals to 10-20cm over surface hoar buried during Christmas. A little deeper (between 40 - 60 cm below the surface) you may find a weak layer of surface hoar on sheltered slopes or a crust/facet combo on steep solar aspects. As the load gradually increases and stiffens over top of these layers, they'll likely become more reactive. Overall the midpack is well settled and reasonably strong; however, thin and variable snowpack areas are faceted and weak. In general, snowpack depths are below seasonal average with many slopes below treeline still reported to be below threshold for avalanche activity, but a deeper snowpack is likely in the northern part of the region.

Regions covered