Avalanche forecast

Sea To Sky

Dec 9, 2018Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 8 years ago

Avalanche danger

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

Snowfall accumulation will increase through the day. If totals exceed 25cm, avalanche hazard will be HIGH.

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2
    As freezing levels drop around noon, snowfall will accumulate and storm slabs will develop. This new snow is not expected to bond well with the old snow surface and by late afternoon, natural avalanches are possible.

Confidence

Moderate - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Weather Forecast

SATURDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with isolated flurries / Accumulation: trace to 5cm / Alpine temperature: High -1C / Light south ridge wind / Freezing level 1000mSUNDAY: Snow / Accumulation: 25-50cm / Alpine temperature: High 0C / Moderate south ridge wind / Freezing level up to 1800mMONDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries / Accumulation: up to 10cm / Alpine temperature: High -2C / Light to moderate southwest ridge wind / Freezing level 1200mTUESDAY: Snow / Accumulation: 10-25cm / Alpine temperature: High -4C / Light to moderate south ridge wind / Freezing level 1000m

Avalanche Summary

Around the Whistler area, recent reverse-loading winds have created small (size 1) wind slabs in alpine lee features which are reactive to skier traffic. On steep sun exposed features in the alpine, solar warming has produced small (size 1) loose snow avalanches over the past few days.

Snowpack Summary

In the alpine, snowpack depths are around 150-200 cm. A variable surface layer consisting of a thin sun crust on solar terrain, surface hoar in sheltered areas, and pockets of wind slab in lee features overlies an upper snowpack of 20-30 cm of low density faceted snow. New snow is not expected to bond well with this surface layer. At bottom of the snowpack, a crust buried at the beginning of November is down 100-120 cm and is unreactive to snowpack tests, in higher elevations it looks to be breaking down. Snowpack depths disappear quickly with decreasing elevation.

Regions covered