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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 6th, 2023–Jan 7th, 2023

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

Regions

South Coast Inland, Birkenhead, Duffey, South Chilcotin, Stein, Taseko.

Assess your line for wind slab and avoid likely trigger spots like convexities and shallow rocky terrain. Small avalanches could step down to deeper layers.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported in the last few days in the region.

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

Snowpack Summary

Ongoing southerly winds have scoured south facing terrain in the alpine and formed wind slab in specific north facing features, However a period of strong northerly wind Thursday night may have reverse loaded some south slopes. A new layer of surface hoar exists under 10cm of recent storm snow.

30 to 50cm sits over a crust formed near the end of December. This crust varies in thickness throughout the terrain. In the mid-snowpack, a layer of surface hoar from early December has been observed down 80 to 100 cm on sheltered north facing terrain.

There is a layer of facets and depth hoar at the bottom of the snowpack that is still a concern. The snow pack below treeline is very shallow and faceted. around treeline snowpack depths are much deeper, around 175cm deep.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with flurries bringing a few centimeters of new snow. Strong southerly winds and freezing level around 1100m.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy with light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Strong south winds easing to light by the afternoon and freezing level rising to 1300m.

Sunday

Cloudy with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Southerly winds increasing to strong by the end of the day. High of -2 at 1500m.

Monday

Cloudy with around 5cm of new snow expected. Moderate southeast winds and a high of -2 at 1500m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid shallow snowpack areas, rock outcroppings and steep convex terrain where triggering is most likely.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
  • Conditions may have improved, but be mindful that deep instabilities are still present.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.