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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 6th, 2023–Jan 7th, 2023

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Coquihalla, Harrison-Fraser, Manning, Skagit.

Keep an eye on conditions that change with elevation. Wind slab could be encountered at higher elevations on all aspects.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported in the past few days.

Please continue to post your observations and photos to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Ongoing southerly winds have scoured south facing terrain and created wind slab on west, north and east facing terrain features, However a period of strong northerly winds Thursday night may have loaded some south facing slopes. As freezing levels fall a new crust will form up to 1500m.

A new layer of surface hoar exists on or near the surface in sheltered terrain at treeline. around 30 to 70cm overlies a rain crust formed in late December. The mid-snowpack is well-settled.

The lower snowpack consists of several crusts with weak faceted crystals above and below that are beginning to heal and bond to each other.

Snowpack depths are roughly 140 to 180 cm at treeline and taper rapidly below treeline.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Moderate southerly winds. Freezing level around 1400m.

Saturday

Cloudy with light flurries bringing a few centimeters of new snow. Light southerly winds and freezing levels rising to 1500m.

Sunday

Cloudy with flurries bringing a few centimeters of new snow. Southwest winds increasing to strong by the end of the day. Freezing levels around 1500m.

Monday

Cloudy with flurries bringing a few centimeters of new snow. Moderate to strong southerly winds and a high of -2 at 1500m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Use ridges or ribs to avoid areas of wind loaded snow.
  • Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.