Avalanche Forecast
Lizard Range and Flathead
New snow has formed soft slabs at upper elevations. A strong southeast flow system will bring more snow beginning late Thursday afternoon. Amounts are uncertain but accumulations of more than 30 cm by Friday morning may be possible in some areas.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain, and avoid slopes below cornices.
- Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, or cracking on small slopes.
Avalanche Summary
Tuesday a size 2.5 natural storm slab, likely triggered by a cornice collapse, was reported on a northerly aspect in the alpine. Cornice collapses up to size 1.5 were also reported but did not produce slab releases on the slopes below.
Numerous wind slabs up to size 2 and loose dry avalanches up to size 1.5 were reported from the Lizard Range on Monday running either naturally or triggered by skiers testing small slopes. Explosives triggered widespread storm slabs up to size 1.5 and size 2 results on northerly aspects. Crown depths typically ranged from 40-80 cm.
Snowpack Summary
New wind slabs are building as approximately 40-50 cm of light dry snow has fallen in recent days and is being moved around by moderate to strong westerly winds. This storm snow overlies various old surfaces including old hard wind slabs, crusts, facets and spotty surface hoar (for example February 14 surface hoar is now 50 to 70 cm below the surface).
Deeper in the snowpack, the widespread mid-December weak layer sits about 200 cm deep. This consists of a crust, facets or surface hoar.
Near the base of the snowpack, a crust/facet layer could be awoken from a thin-spot trigger point, or with a very large load like a cornice fall.
Weather Forecast
A strong southeast flow system will bring snowfall beginning late Thursday afternoon. Amounts are uncertain but accumulations of more than 30 cm by Friday morning may be possible in some areas.
TONIGHT: Flurries. Accumulation trace. Ridge wind moderate, southwest. Temperature near -9. Freezing level lowering to valley bottom.
THURSDAY: Snow increasing in the afternoon and overnight. Accumulation 20-30 + cm. Ridge wind light to moderate, southeast. Temperature near 0. Freezing level rising to 1400 m.
FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy, flurries increasing overnight. Accumulation 2-10 cm. Ridge wind light, northeast. Temperature near -1. Freezing level 800 m.
SATURDAY: Mainly cloudy, light flurries. Accumulation trace. Ridge wind light, northeast. Temperature near -3. Freezing level 700 m.
Avalanche Forecasts in your Inbox
Avalanche Canada has switched to an RSS feed for its daily forecasts. This is a much more flexible method that allows automatic delivery to your email inbox, or to an RSS reader of your choice.
What are RSS feeds?
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a popular standardized file format allowing up-to-date delivery of web-based content. RSS feeds enable you to receive content updates from websites, delivered to your email through an RSS aggregator (such as blogtrottr.com) or viewed through applications called RSS readers (such as feedly.com).
Set up an RSS feed for your email:
Select a RSS aggregator
- Lizard Range and Flathead URL:
http://www.avalanche.ca/api/forecasts/lizard-range.rss - Copy the url and paste it into the appropriate field of your RSS aggregator.
- Fill in your email address.
- Voila! Watch the Avalanche Canada forecast roll into your inbox.
Forecast Disclaimer
Avalanche Canada's Public Avalanche Bulletin, and other information and services provided by Avalanche Canada, are intended for personal and recreational purposes only.
**THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND IN NO EVENT SHALL THE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES RESULTING FROM DISCOMFORT, INJURY, OR DEATH, CLAIMS BY THIRD PARTIES OR FOR OTHER SIMILAR COSTS, OR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THE INFORMATION.**
The user acknowledges that it is impossible to accurately predict natural events such as avalanches in every instance, and uses the data in this bulletin with this always foremost in mind. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and the Providers disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use the data.
New snow has formed soft storm slabs at upper elevations and winds have loaded leeward areas at ridge crest.