Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 2nd, 2019–Dec 3rd, 2019

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 possible, human triggered probable.
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.

Regions

Purcells.

Higher snowfall amounts are forecasted for the northern parts of the Purcell region and tapers moving south. Expect to find more reactive deposits where new snow accumulates and is impacted by wind.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the track & intensity of the incoming weather system.

Weather Forecast

Monday night: Flurries, up to 10 cm by Tuesday morning. Alpine temperature -8 C, west wind 20-30 km/hr.

Tuesday: Snow and flurries, 5-15 cm. Through this storm, the northern areas of the Purcell forecast region are expected to receive the higher forecasted snowfall amounts. Alpine temperature -4 C, southwest wind 30-45 km/hr.

Wednesday: Flurries, 5-10 cm. Alpine temperature -8 C, west wind 30-50 km/hr.

Thursday: Mix of sun and cloud and isolated flurries. Alpine temperature -10 C, west wind 10-25 km/hr.

Avalanche Summary

Expect avalanche activity to increase in areas with larger deposits of new snow and where wind redistributes snow.

Snowpack Summary

A dusting of new snow gently covered 15-40 cm wind-affected snow in the alpine, with snowfall expected through Tuesday.

The upper snowpack sits on a crust on solar aspects in the alpine and a surface hoar/crust combination in sheltered areas around treeline. Further down, several early season crusts are found in a highly variable snowpack across the region. Snowpack depth ranges from 10-100cm and recent cold temperatures have faceted the snowpack. Expect to find weak facets (sugary, cohesion-less snow) in thin, shallow areas and around rocks.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.