Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 5th, 2019 4:53PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

cgarritty, Avalanche Canada

Northwest Inland.

Northwest winds have blown our storm snow into wind slabs on lee slopes and cross-loaded features in wind-affected areas. Seek out sheltered areas and lower angled slopes for the safest, best skiing and riding.

Summary

Confidence

High - The weather pattern is stable

Weather Forecast

Tuesday night: Mainly clear. Light northwest winds. Wednesday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow, increasing a bit overnight. Light northwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -7. Cooler at lower elevations due to a temperature inversion.Thursday: Cloudy with increasing sunny periods and easing flurries with a trace of new snow. New snow totals up to around 3 cm. Light northwest winds, increasing in the evening. Alpine high temperatures around -7. Cooler at lower elevations due to a lingering temperature inversion.Friday: Sunny with cloudy periods. Moderate to strong northeast winds. Alpine high temperatures around -19.

Avalanche Summary

Observations from Monday showed small (size 1) wind slabs releasing naturally from steep, wind loaded pockets in the Howson range.Numerous avalanches were triggered by skiers and naturally within the recent storm snow on the weekend. Check out this MIN report describing widespread slab activity.

Snowpack Summary

Strong northeast winds have redistributed the recent 20 to 40 cm of storm snow in exposed terrain, forming wind slabs. This snow overlies previously wind-affected snow in the high alpine and a widespread melt-freeze crust elsewhere. In the central and northern parts of the region, the storm snow may sit on feathery surface hoar crystals in sheltered terrain at all elevations.In the south of the region, the remainder of the snowpack has been reported as well-settled.Around and north of Hazelton, 50 to 100 cm of snow may overly two weak layers of surface hoar or sugary faceted grains.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Strong northeast winds have redistributed our recent storm snow. Expect to find reactive wind slabs in cross-loaded and lee terrain features near ridges.

Avoid recently wind loaded features, especially near ridge crests, roll-overs and in steep terrain.Analyze slopes for patterns of wind loading as you transition into wind affected terrain.

Aspects: South East, South, South West, West, North West.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Feb 6th, 2019 2:00PM