Avalanche Forecast
North Columbia
Continued slow accumulation of new snow Friday night into Saturday just before a more stable and clearing weather pattern sets in for the rest weekend.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind loaded snow.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
A weak layer of surface hoar buried 30-50 cm deep has potential to be reactive in areas where the overlying snow has settled into a cohesive slab.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Sluffs may trigger deeper instabilities.
- Watch for signs of slab formation, such as whumpfing and shooting cracks
- Approach steep open slopes cautiously at and below treeline where buried surface hoar may exist.
Avalanche Summary
Recent reports show continue to show numerous human triggered and natural loose dry avalanches to size 1 in steep, sheltered terrain. Expect continued potential for triggering loose dry avalanches in steep terrain and consider the potential to trigger persistent slabs as the load continues to increase on top of the mid December persistent weak layer.
Snowpack Summary
20-30cm of low density new snow has buried a recently formed layer of weak feathery surface hoar and/or sugary facets. A layer buried mid-December that consists of surface hoar, sun crust and/or sugary facets is now down approximately 40-60cm.The bond at this old snow interface is of critical importance in areas where the overlying snow has consolidated into a slab. The most concerning areas are those that saw pronounced surface hoar development before the storm, such as sheltered areas at and below treeline, sheltered northerly aspects in the alpine, or anywhere the surface hoar formed on top of a sun crust. Recent snowpack tests show wide ranging reactivity on this weak layer but suggest that it may be most reactive on northerly aspects.
A rain crust that formed in late November is now buried 80-110cm deep. Recent reports from the southwest end of this region suggests it may be reactive in steep, variably loaded terrain features in the alpine.
Weather Forecast
SATURDAY: 5-10cm overnight Friday into Saturday then a mix of sun and cloud / Light west wind / Alpine temperature -15
SUNDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light northwest wind / Alpine temperature -10
MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud / Light west wind / Alpine temperature -5
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Recent northwest, west and southwest winds have created wind slabs in the lee of terrain features.