Avalanche forecast

Northwest Inland

Dec 11, 2017Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Warming and solar radiation will drive the avalanche danger on Monday. Use extra caution in sun-exposed terrain and limit your exposure to large overhead slopes.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    At elevations where Sunday night's precipitation falls as snow, thin yet dense wind slabs can be expected. Watch for triggering in higher elevation, wind-exposed terrain.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2
    With precipitation forecast for Sunday night (and then sun on Monday), I would expect loose wet avalanches to occur, especially in steep, sun-exposed terrain where dry snow is exposed to solar radiation for the first time

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–3
    The late October crust lies near the base of the snowpack with a thin layer of weak, sugary snow above it. This layer should be on a strengthening trend, but a heavy trigger in a thin snowpack area or warming may still be enough to cause it to react.

Confidence

Low - Freezing levels are uncertain on Monday

Weather Forecast

Sunday night: 3-6mm of precipitation / Moderate southerly winds / Freezing level at about 2000mMonday: Mainly clear / Moderate southerly winds / Freezing level at about 2000mTuesday: 2-5cm of new snow / Moderate southerly winds / Freezing level at 1700mWednesday: Mix of sun and cloud / Light and variable winds / Freezing level at 2300m

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported, however it is expected that warm alpine temperatures and sunshine initiated natural activity on steep solar aspects at higher elevations on Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

With the recent temperature inversion, solar and temperature crusts are expected to have formed on sun-exposed slopes, while stiff, stubborn wind slabs linger in lee alpine terrain. Approximately 30-50 cm of storm snow now overlies two crusts that were buried near the end of November. These crusts are widespread and extend into the alpine. Although snowpack tests have previously shown hard results at these crust interfaces, more recent observations have been limited. Below these crusts, a well settled mid-pack overlies the late October crust near the base of the snowpack. This "crust/facet combo" layer is widespread and has been reactive to rider and remote triggers. It also continues to produce sudden snowpack test results. Average snowpack depths now total 80-140 cm at treeline elevations and up to 160 cm in the alpine. (Depths of up to 210 cm have been reported from the Howsons.)

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