Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Unlikely - Possible
- Size
- 1–2
The bond between the new snow and the old surface will be the big question once the storm snow starts to accumulate and be redistributed by winds.
Avalanche forecast
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Dec 15, 2017Avalanche Canada
Archived · expired 9 years ago
Avalanche danger
Sat
Sun
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
Highlights
With snow expected to begin on Friday and continue into the weekend, watch for touchy wind slabs building in alpine, lee areas.
Avalanche problems
Confidence
Moderate - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain
Weather Forecast
FRIDAY: Cloudy, flurries. Accumulation up to 5 cm. Ridge wind light to moderate from the northwest. Temperature -1. Freezing level 800 m.SATURDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, flurries. Accumulation 5 cm. Ridge wind light from the west. Temperature -3. Freezing level 800 m.SUNDAY: Cloudy, flurries. Accumulation 5-15 cm. Ridge wind moderate from the southwest. Temperature -2. Freezing level 800 m.
Avalanche Summary
There have been no reports of avalanche activity since the weekend when a small, natural, wind slab avalanche was observed in the alpine on a wind-loaded, north-facing, ridge top feature on Saturday in the Metal Dome area.
Snowpack Summary
A melt-freeze crust exists on the surface on all aspects. On north aspects this surface crust is thin with dry, sugary snow crystals (facets) below. Beneath the surface, the upper snowpack is well settled and overlies a thin layer of facets on the late-November rain crust. The most recent snowpack tests from last week have found hard, sudden compression test results on the facets just above the crust, which is now buried between approximately 60 cm at treeline elevations. Beneath this crust the lower snowpack is well settled and consists of several crusts that formed in the early season.