Avalanche forecast

South Rockies

Feb 7 – 8, 2014Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

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Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1–3
    North and east winds have transported snow onto south and west slopes which are traditionally scoured by the prevailing winds. Although possibly stubborn to trigger, there may be consequences of small avalanches triggered in cliffs or terrain traps.

Confidence

Fair - Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Monday

Weather Forecast

Tonight and Saturday: The ridge of high pressure is forecasted to rebuild prolonging the cold and dry conditions. Sky should clear up, winds to blow lightly from the NE winds with temperatures around -13 C. Sunday: Similar conditions are forecasted for Sunday. However, the ridge is expected to weaken as a low pressure system just offshore is approaching the coast. Expect increasing clouds and prepare for a change in the weather pattern.Monday: A more zonal flow is forecasted funneling low pressure systems through the region and spreading light to moderate precipitation with light SW winds. There is still lots of uncertainty about the timing and amounts of snow.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported.

Snowpack Summary

Wind slabs 10-40cm thick have formed over the last few days in the alpine on various aspects. At treeline and below in sheltered areas approximately 5-15cm of light dry snow overlies a variety of old surfaces including surface hoar and/or a melt freeze crust on solar aspects. The cold temperatures continue to facet the near surface layers. This may improve the ski and sledding quality of the surface snow in the short term, however it also has the potential to create a weak layer if it is buried later in the season. The deep persistent layers of facets and depth hoar remain near the bottom of the snowpack and in shallow areas the entire snowpack consists of these weak crystals, which appear to have become less reactive with the current cold and static weather pattern. We expect that there has been little improvement in the bonding of these persistent weak layers during this cold period and they may still "wake up" (become reactive again) later in the season.

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