Avalanche forecast

Northwest Coastal

Jan 6 – 7, 2014Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 13 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    New pockets of wind slab may have formed due to recent northwest and southwest winds at higher elevations.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–5
    A weak layer of buried facets near the ground continues to be a concern in the North of the region. The snowpack is quite variable across the region. Try to get local knowledge if you are traveling to new areas.

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Tuesday

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: Light snowfall / Moderate southwest winds / Freezing level at 600mWednesday: Moderate to locally heavy snowfall / Moderate to strong southwest winds / Freezing level at 700mThursday: Light snowfall / Moderate to strong southwest winds / Freezing level at 700m

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity reported.

Snowpack Summary

In general the snowpack seems shallower and more faceted in the northern part of the region, and deeper with more wind and storm slab problems in the south. At 1900m on an east aspect in the Shames area the height of snow was 193 cm. Isolated pockets of wind slab were reported due to recent moderate to strong variable winds. A new layer of surface hoar has developed below about 1100 metres. The recent storm snow has settled into about a 25 cm layer that is sitting above several laminated thin melt/freeze crusts. Moderate sudden planar shears were experienced in snowpack tests down about 40 cm in a weak facet layer that is sitting above a melt/freeze crust from Christmas. Deeper early December facetted crystals were found to be rounding and gaining strength in this area.

Regions covered