Avalanche Forecast
Lizard Range and Flathead
New snow and wind on Monday will create touchy storm slabs reactive to human triggers; especially in wind effected terrain.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use caution when transitioning into wind effected terrain.
- Watch for signs of instability such as whumphing, cracking, or recent natural avalanching.
- Use small slopes with low or no consequence to test the bond of the new snow.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
When the sun comes out it will quickly weaken the new snow and cause loose wet avalanching on steep solar slopes.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for signs that the snow is heating up such as pin-wheeling or the surface snow becoming moist.
- Minimize exposure to sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
- Cornices become weak with daytime heating. Give them a wide berth both from above and below.
Avalanche Summary
Several loose wet avalanches up to size 2.5 which were triggered by cornice falls were reported near Fernie on Sunday. Storm slab avalanche activity will likely increase with the forecast snow on Monday.
Snowpack Summary
15-25 cm of new snow and moderate winds have formed storm slabs reactive to human triggers. This storm snow overlies numerous crusts in the upper 100 cm of the snowpack.
The mid-pack is generally well settled and strong.
A layer of sugary facets around a crust can be found near the bottom of the snowpack which has been dormant for some time. Large triggers, such as a falling cornice, or a major warm-up to the snowpack could trigger this layer.
Weather Forecast
MONDAY: Snow, accumulation 10-20 cm. Moderate to strong easterly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperature -1. Freezing level around 1500 m.
TUESDAY: Snow, accumulation 5-10 cm. Moderate southwesterly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperature -1. Freezing level around 1500 m.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly cloudy with sunny breaks. Light southwesterly ridgetop winds. Alpine temperature +1. Freezing level rising to around 1700 m.
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Snow and wind on Monday will create touchy storm slabs reactive to human triggers.