Avalanche forecast

Kootenay Boundary

Feb 4 – 5, 2016Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

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

Extra Caution required in alpine and open treeline features.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    3–5
    This persistent weak layer is a classic low probability but high consequence problem. Dig down to see if the surface hoar exists in your area.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Moderate winds, new snow and warming temperatures are expected to create touchy conditions as the new snow settles to form a slab

Confidence

Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Moderate southerly winds Thursday night will redistribute storm snow.  10-15cm of snow with moderate to strong southwesterly winds on Friday.  Another 5-10cm on Saturday with light to moderate westerly winds.  No snow forecasted for Sunday and winds die down.  Freezing levels rise to 1300m on Friday, followed by a cooling trend.

Avalanche Summary

Several size one skier triggered avalanches were reported on Wednesday.  We expect the size and sensitivity of the storm slabs to increase on Friday.

Snowpack Summary

10cm of new snow brings the storm slab to 35-45 cm and can be found across most of the region. This new snow lies above a variable old surface buried at the end of January. This interface is being reported as a layer of surface hoar at treeline in the Rossland area. However, in most other parts of the region the new snow sits on a rain crust and/or old wind slabs. A weak layer buried mid-January can be found down 45-50cm, however, snow pit tests indicate that this layer is gaining strength. Deeper in the snowpack, the persistent weak layer that was buried earlier in January is now down 80-120 cm and continues to give sudden planar fractures in snowpack tests under moderate to heavy loads.

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