Avalanche Forecast
Kootenay Boundary
Recent loading from new snow and wind has added to an already complex and tricky snowpack with several buried weak layers. Best to stick to moderate terrain and avoid wind-loaded areas.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- If triggered the storm slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
The snowpack is complex and has produced very large and destructive avalanches on up to four separate weak layers buried 50 to 130cm below the surface. A conservative approach and moderate-angled, simple terrain are good choices.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.
- Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present and have produced recent large avalanches.
Avalanche Summary
There were no new reports of avalanche activity on Saturday. That isn't to say that weaknesses don't exist in the snowpack and that large avalanches aren't possible. It was only Thursday when explosives control work produced a size 2.5 and a size 3 slab avalanche that stepped down to the mid-December layer on north to northwest aspects above 2000 m. Over time, we'll likely transition to a low-probability/ high consequence avalanche pattern with these buried persistent weak layers. This makes terrain selection harder as some slopes may not react to the weight of a rider, while other slopes may be waiting to surprise with nasty consequences.
Snowpack Summary
The snowpack is complex with several buried weak layers of concern that remain reactive and have produced several recent, large and destructive avalanches.
Approximately 20-40 cm of storm snow now covers the most recent crust/surface hoar layer that was buried mid-January. This crust can be found on solar aspects while surface hoar has been buried on shaded aspects above 1600m. Below this layer lies a second crust/surface hoar interface buried early-January that is now 50-90 cm below the surface.
The mid-December surface hoar layer is buried 100-140 cm below the surface and continues to produce sudden snowpack test results. This spooky layer is most pronounced at treeline, but is also present below treeline.
Two laminated crusts created by rain events in late November lay just below the mid-December interface, and may co-exist with facets.
Weather Forecast
Monday: 5-10cm of new snow / Moderate westerly winds / Freezing level at 700m
Tuesday: Mix of sun and cloud in the morning with steady snowfall developing in the afternoon / Moderate southerly winds / Freezing level at 800m
Wednesday: Up to 30cm of new snow / Moderate southerly winds / Freezing level at 1200m
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Recent wind and storm snow have formed cohesive slabs, particularly on lee slopes at treeline and above. If triggered these slabs have shown the potential to step down to one or more deeper weak layers buried in the snowpack.