Avalanche forecast

Purcells

Jan 5 – 6, 2013Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 14 years ago

Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low

Highlights

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–4
    Watch for newly formed windslabs by W and SW winds and old, buried windslabs in lee and cross loaded terrain features.

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Sunday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of light flurries and temperatures reaching -5. Winds should be light southwesterlies with occasional gusts to 40km/h.Monday: A mix of sun and cloud, with precipitation building through the afternoon into the evening. Temperatures should reach -8 with light west/southwest winds.Tuesday: Expect continued light snowfalls under light southwest winds with temperatures reaching -8.

Avalanche Summary

Small windslabs up to size 1.5 have been reported, failing in immediate lee locations of ridgelines. Sluffing up to size 1.0 continues.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 10cm of light density new snow overlies the January 4th interface. Moderate and strong south/southwest winds have redistributed this new snow into small windslabs in immediate lee features in the alpine and exposed treeline and these windslabs are reactive to human triggering.The January 4th interface consists predominantly of loose facets up to 30cm deep. In isolated locations (sheltered treeline and below treeline) surface hoar is present and there is a sun crust on steep south and west facing terrain. High in the alpine in exposed locations, old windslabs linger.The midpack is well bonded and strong. The deep crust/facet combo from early November still exists and concern remains (although unlikely) for triggering this layer from a shallow spot.

Regions covered