Avalanche Forecast
Lizard Range and Flathead
Wind slabs in lee features below ridgetops may still be reactive to human triggers on Sunday.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use caution when transitioning into wind affected terrain.
- Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.
- Avoid steep, rocky, wind affected areas where triggering is more likely.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Forecast sunshine may trigger loose wet avalanches on steep south facing slopes.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Start early to stay off south facing slopes during the heat of the day.
- Watch for signs that the snow is heating up such as pin-wheeling and point-releases below cliffs.
- Avoid terrain traps such as gullies and cliffs where small avalanches can have high consequence.
Avalanche Summary
A widespread natural avalanche cycle occurred near Fernie on Friday. Numerous storm slabs up to size 2.5 were reported primarily on north and northeasterly aspects between 1800-2100 m. These storm slabs will become less of a concern in the coming days but the forecast warming and sunshine may wake up a deeper weak layer on steep south facing slopes resulting in large and destructive avalanches.
Snowpack Summary
20-30 cm of recent storm snow is settling rapidly. This new snow is sitting on a sun crust on solar aspects. Cornices are large and prone to failure over the weekend caused by forecast sunny skies.
In the upper to mid snowpack, a surface hoar or facet layer buried mid-February is now 80 to 110 cm below the surface on sheltered northerly aspects.
Deeper in the snowpack, the widespread mid-December and late November weak layers are composed of a combination of crusts and sugary facets which are down 200-300 cm. These layers have been dormant but may be awoken by the warm and sunny weather throughout the weekend or by a large trigger such as a falling cornice.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: Sunny / Light southwesterly ridgetop winds / Freezing level rising to around 2300 m.
MONDAY: Sunny / Light southwesterly ridgetop winds / Freezing level rising to around 2400 m.
TUESDAY: Sunny / Moderate to strong southwesterly ridgetop winds / Freezing level rising to around 3000 m.
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- Lizard Range and Flathead URL:
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Isolated wind slabs may still be reactive to human triggers.