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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 4th, 2024–Dec 5th, 2024

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

Northwest Inland, Howson, Kispiox, Microwave-Sinclair, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw, Ningunsaw, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

Uncertainty surrounding buried weak layers, combined with a weak and moisture-laden snowpack, warrants a conservative approach.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been observed, but reports have been extremely limited. We suspect a large natural avalanche cycle to have run during the peak of the rain storm.

If you head to the backcountry please consider submitting your observations to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Rain and warm temperatures have created a moist snow surface at all elevations except in the high alpine. Strong winds will have created heavily wind-affected surfaces and stiff wind slabs where dry snow remains.

We'll need to reassess whether two surface hoar layers in the mid-snowpack have survived or been cleaned out by the rain.

Deeper in the snowpack, a rain crust from early November seems to be bonding well to the surrounding snow.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Cloudy with up to 3 mm of precipitation. 15 to 40 km/h southest ridge top wind. Freezing level 2500 m.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy with up to 2mm of precipitation. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1500 m.

Friday

Cloudy with 4 to 10 mm of precipitation. 40 to 80 km/h southwest ridge top wind. Freezing level 1500 m.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy with up to 2 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridge top wind. Freezing level 1000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be alert to conditions that change with aspect and elevation.
  • Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried surface hoar.
  • Keep in mind that the high density of wet avalanches can make them destructive.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.

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.

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.