Avalanche forecast

South Columbia

Dec 23 – 24, 2013Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    3–5
    Persistent weak layers of facets, surface hoar, and/or a crust exist in the upper 90 cm of the snowpack. With more load they may be susceptible to triggering, creating large - very large destructive avalanches.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–4
    New storm snow may be touchy and reactive, especially in wind affected areas. Natural avalanche activity is expected. Further loading and smaller avalanches may trigger buried weak layers and initiate large- very large avalanches.

Confidence

Fair - Timing of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Weather Forecast

A ridge of high pressure will set up over the Interior regions bringing a dry, cool northwest flow Tuesday-Wednesday. The next system should arrive Wednesday night bringing snow, wind and warming. Generally, the pattern is repeating itself. Tuesday: Cloudy. Alpine temperatures -8. Ridgetop winds moderate gusting strong from the West.Wednesday: Snow amounts up to 20 cm. Alpine temperatures -8. Ridgetop winds moderate-strong from the West. Thursday: Cloudy. Snow amounts 10 cm. Alpine temperatures -5. Ridgetop winds light from the South. Freezing levels rising to 1100 m.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous loose dry avalanches up to size 2 were reported through the region.

Snowpack Summary

New snow (up to 40 cm in some places) has buried older wind slabs in exposed terrain at treeline and above. The new storm snow is settling quickly, however storm slabs have been touchy especially in wind affected areas. The average snowpack depths at treeline range from 100 cm -150 cm.Buried down 60 cm is a surface hoar, and facet layer. This layer has recently been reactive to riders and natural triggers and both cracking and whumpfing have been noted.Digging deeper down 70-90 cm is the late-November interface, which consists of a sun crust/ facet combo on steep south facing slopes and larger, proud surface hoar crystals in sheltered areas at lower elevations. This layer is generally considered to be "stubborn" to trigger. However, professionals are keeping a close eye on this layer. At the base of the snowpack the October crust is most predominant on north-facing alpine slopes with smooth ground cover. Triggering this weakness is unlikely, but if triggered the resulting avalanche would be very large and consequential.

Regions covered