Avalanche Forecast

A few small to large (size 1 to 2) storm slab avalanches were triggered naturally and by explosives on Friday and Saturday, generally 30 to 60 cm deep within recent storm snow.

Large (size 2 to 3) avalanches occurred within the past week, with some of them stepping down to deeper weak layers. We suspect it is becoming more difficult to trigger these deeper layers, however caution should be taken in challenging or complex terrain given the uncertainty and consequence of large avalanches.

Around 50 cm of snow sits on a hard melt-freeze crust found up to treeline elevations formed by rain on December 26. Moist snow or a surface crust may be found up to around 1600 m on all aspects and up to ridgetop on sun-exposed slopes.

Two deeper layers of surface hoar and facets could still be triggered in specific terrain. These include a 40 to 80 cm deep layer buried mid-December and an 80 to 150 cm deep layer buried mid-November. These layers are generally deeper around Fernie and shallower towards Sparwood and Elkford. The layers may be easier to trigger where they are buried within the top 100 cm of the snowpack.

Monday Night

Clear with no precipitation, 15 km/h southwest wind, light inversion, treeline temperature -5 °C.

Tuesday

Increasing cloud coverage with a trace of snow, 20 km/h southwest wind, treeline temperature -9 °C.

Mix of sun and cloud, trace of new snow, 20 to 30 km/h westerly wind, treeline temperature -12 °C.

Mostly cloudy, trace of new snow, 20 to 30 km/h south wind, treeline temperature -4 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Be aware of the potential for larger than expected storm slabs due to the presence of buried surface hoar.
• Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
• Back off if you encounter whumpfing, hollow sounds, or shooting cracks.