Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Dec 7th, 2016 3:27PM

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

Avalanche Canada triley, Avalanche Canada

Continued cold weather with little new snow expected. Watch for pockets of wind slab at higher elevations.

Summary

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Clear and cold overnight with light northeast winds, alpine low temperatures around -20. Clear and cold on Thursday with light easterly winds. Cloud developing Thursday evening as the winds become moderate from the southwest. Light snow or flurries on Friday with alpine temperatures around -15 combined with moderate southwest winds. Overcast on Saturday with light westerly winds and a chance of light snow.

Avalanche Summary

A few small size 1.0 soft cornice releases were reported from the Selkirks north of Nakusp on Tuesday. Natural avalanches up to size 2.0 continued to be reported on Monday from isolated areas in the north of the region in the Monashee ranges. At least one of these was triggered by a natural cornice fall. On Sunday, natural, skier, and explosive triggered storm slab avalanches up to size 1.5 were reported. The majority of this activity was occurring in wind loaded features on north and northeast aspects.

Snowpack Summary

The recent storm snow is settling slowly due to the cold temperatures. Variable wind effect has created wind slabs in the alpine in some areas, and others report little or no wind resulting in loose unconsolidated snow. The depth of the mid-november crust is also variable across the region. Reports have the crust down between 100-200 cm and snowpack tests have produced a wide array of results from moderate sudden planar to hard resistant planar. Watch for near surface facets developing in the upper snowpack that may develop a poor bonding layer before the next storm. If you dig down to the crust, watch for facets developing above and/or below that may provide a weak layer above a smooth sliding surface in the future.

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Wind slabs are expected to continue to be reactive to light additional loads in isolated terrain features. Watch for pockets of windslab in the lee of alpine features and in the entrances to chutes immediately below ridgelines.
Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Dec 8th, 2016 2:00PM