Avalanche Forecast
Kootenay Boundary
A thin cover of new snow overlies a wide variety of old surfaces. As more snow starts to accumulate, investigate how well it's bonding to the old surface before committing yourself.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, shooting cracks or recent natural avalanches.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets in leeward areas, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches reported.
Snowpack Summary
Approximately 5-10 cm of new snow has fallen on a variety of old snow surfaces, depending on aspect and elevation.
On solar aspects a thin melt-freeze crust has been buried. On northerly aspects, feathery, surface hoar crystals (10-30 mm in length) have been buried below treeline as well as protected areas at treeline. In the alpine the old surface consisted of sugary snow (facets) and hard, wind scoured snow.
Below the snow surface the upper snowpack is well settled and overlies a series of late-November crusts, now buried 20-50 cm and 15-25 cm thick. Recent snowpack tests have produced hard, resistant compression test results within the layers of this crust.
Below the crust layer the lower snowpack is moist and well settled.
Weather Forecast
Monday will see some flurries before significant precipitation arrives on Tuesday.
MONDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries. Accumulation of 5 cm possible. Ridge wind moderate from the west. Temperature near -5. Freezing level 700 m.
TUESDAY: Snow. Accumulation 20-35 cm. Ridge wind moderate from the southeast. Temperature near -7. Freezing level 500 m.
WEDNESDAY: Clearing in the afternoon. Ridge wind moderate northerly. Freezing level at the surface.
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Stubborn wind slabs may be found at higher elevations, especially in areas where there has been significant loading from wind.