Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 6th, 2020 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Loose Wet.
ldreier,
Avalanche Canada
Extremely strong southwest wind is forecast at all elevations. Fresh snow will be redistributed and form thick wind slabs in lee terrain features. At lower elevations the snow will turn into rain and weaken the snowpack. Expect the avalanche danger to increase throughout the day.
Summary
Confidence
Moderate - Forecast precipitation (either snow or rain) amounts are uncertain. Uncertainty is due to difficult to forecast freezing levels.
Weather Forecast
Thursday Night: Cloudy with isolated flurries, moderate northwest wind, treeline high 0 C, freezing level 900 m.Â
Friday: Snow, accumulation 25 cm, extremely strong southwest wind, treeline high +2 C, freezing level 1300 m.
Saturday: Mix of sun and cloud, accumulation 10-15 cm, moderate northerly wind, treeline high +2 C, freezing level 1200 m.
Sunday: Sunny, moderate northwest wind, treeline high 0 C, freezing level 700 m.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous natural and human triggered avalanches of size 1 were reported on Wednesday. Most of these avalanches released within the recent storm snow and were 5-15 cm thick.
Numerous small (size 1) slab avalanches were triggered by humans on Tuesday. Several avalanches released on the crust which was buried by the recent new snow.
Snowpack Summary
Warm temperatures moistened the surface of the snow. 20-30 cm of new snow sits on a thick rain crust. The snowpack below the crust consists of moist to wet snow and is well settled. Snowpack depths are suspected to be in the range of 150-250 cm around the peaks of the north shore mountains (1400 m), tapering quickly with elevation to almost nothing below 1000 m.
Terrain and Travel
- Be careful as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
- Avalanche hazard is expected to to increase througout the day, think carefully about your egress.
- A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
Problems
Wind Slabs
Extremely strong southwest wind is forecast at all elevations picking up around mid day. Precipitation will start in the morning and continue into the night. The freezing level is rising from 800 m to 1300 m during the day. Above the freezing level where the precipitation will fall in form of snow the wind will redistribute the snow and create thick deposits in lee terrain features. The avalanche danger increases throughout the day with increasing snowfall amounts and continuing wind.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South, North West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Loose Wet
With rising temperatures the forecast precipitation might begin to fall as snow and then continue in form of rain. The avalanche danger increases throughout the day with increasing precipitation amounts and rising temperatures.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Below Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 7th, 2020 5:00PM
