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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 14th, 2022–Dec 15th, 2022

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

Regions

White Pass East, White Pass West.

Stormy weather continues until Friday morning. It's a good time to avoid wind affected terrain, like ridgelines and gully features, as reactive wind slabs continue to form.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No reports of recent avalanche activity. Although it is likely natural wind slab activity continues at higher elevations until the snow and winds taper by Friday morning.

Snowpack Summary

White Pass has received 15-25 cm of new snow with strong to extreme southwesterly winds since the weekend. Up to 60 cm deep, cohesive wind slabs have been formed on various aspects and elevations.

A faceting crust is found down 20-50 cm on solar aspects but has not been reactive in tests. The lower snowpack consists of soft, sugary facets and a crust near ground level.

Up to 125 cm of snow can be found in the alpine however winds have made distribution variable. Treeline snow depth averages 80 cm.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Cloudy with periods of snow, up to 10 cm. Moderate to strong southwesterly winds in the lower alpine. While temperatures are around -5 C.

Thursday

Cloudy with periods of snow, up to 10 cm. Moderate to strong southwesterly winds in the lower alpine. While temperatures are around -5 C.

Friday

Flurries taper in the morning and an arctic air moves in bringing clear skies by the afternoon. Winds light from the Northeast. Temperatures will plummet to -20 C by the end of the day. 

Saturday

Mainly clear skies. Temperatures in the -20 to -25 C range, with light Northeasterly winds.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • Stay off recently wind loaded slopes until they have had a chance to stabilize.
  • Early season avalanches at any elevation have the potential to be particularly dangerous due to obstacles that are exposed or just below the surface.

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.