Bulletin d’avalanche

Purcells

Dec 31, 2015 – Jan 1, 2016Avalanche Canada
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Archivé · expiré 11 years ago

Danger d’avalanche

Sat
Sun
Alpin
2 · Modéré
Limite forestière
2 · Modéré
Sous la limite
2 · Modéré
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Points saillants

Extra caution!There have been two large skier-triggered slab avalanches near Kimberley and one near Golden in the last week.

Problèmes avalancheux

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    1–2
    Soft wind slabs may be reactive to the weight of a person below ridges and ribs.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible
    Taille
    2–4
    Skiers have triggered four large persistent slab avalanches in the last couple of weeks. The weak layer is down 40-60 cm and exists at different elevations in different parts of the region.

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpin
    • Limite forestière
    • Sous la limite forestière
    Probabilité
    Possible - Likely
    Taille
    1–3
    As the temperatures in the alpine continue to rise, the sun will pack more punch. Loose avalanche activity is expected to continue from steep, rocky, sun-exposed slopes. The volume of dry snow could push you around.

Confidence

Moderate

Weather Forecast

A dominant ridge of high pressure brings light northerly winds, sun and increasingly mild temperatures in the alpine. Below about 1700 m, expect valley cloud, flurries and cold temperatures. Alpine temperatures are expected to reach 0 degrees by Friday afternoon and climb above 0 through the weekend. For more details check out https://avalanche.ca/weather.

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday, a skier triggered a size 2.5 slab on a NW aspect at about 2500 m near Golden. It is thought to have failed on the early Dec persistent weak layer, down 30-60 cm. There has also been activity clustered in a region to the west of Kimberley. On Tuesday, a skier triggered a size 2 persistent slab. Last Sunday, a skier triggered a size 3 slab. Skiers also remotely triggered a size 2 slab the week before. These all failed on the early December surface hoar layer and were on all aspects between 1600 m and 2100 m. Small loose dry avalanches and cornice falls have also been reported.

Snowpack Summary

Conditions are variable across the Purcells. In the south (west of Kimberley), a prominent layer of large buried surface hoar is reactive to human triggers. In this part of the region, it is buried down 40 cm with a cohesive slab above it. Further north, it is 60-120 cm down and has been sporadically reactive to skiers on NW facing alpine slopes near Golden. At alpine elevations, this interface exists as a surface hoar/ facet layer sitting on a crust. The lower snowpack is generally considered to be well settled.New and old wind slabs may be found in the lee of ridges and ribs on a variety of slopes.

Régions couvertes