Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Inland
Avalanche problems vary by elevation. Light new snow and winds continue to drive wind slab formation at higher elevations. Keep your guard up in sheltered areas where slabs may form over touchy surface hoar.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Sheltered openings at mid elevations are likely areas for surface hoar to be preserved.
- Avoid areas where the new snow feels stiff and slabby.
- Use ridges or ribs to avoid steep pockets of wind loaded snow.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Recent reports have shown touchy persistent slab conditions developing at lower elevations in deeper snowpack areas of the region. Avoid the trap of lowering your guard below treeline - especially around steep rolls in sheltered openings.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, or cracking at lower elevations.
- Touchy persistent slab conditions have recently been observed in the Howson Range.
Avalanche Summary
Reports from Saturday included one remotely (from a distance) triggered Size 1.5 wind slab releasing from a steeper northwest-facing slope at around 1500 metres. The slab depth was 40-60 cm.
Friday's reports showed a notable increase in persistent slab activity at lower elevations in the Howson Range. In this area, three Size 2 releases failed on steeper terrain with remote triggers on the mid-December weak layer, found 50 cm below the surface. Another report from last week mentioned numerous natural storm slab releases from Size 1-2 north of Kispiox. These were suspected to have released over a layer of surface hoar that may not be widely distributed.
Looking forward, our storm slab problem is diverging into more distinct wind slab problems at higher elevations and more isolated storm slab over surface hoar issues at mid elevations. Lower elevations have become an increasing concern in areas where the upper 50 cm of the snowpack has settled into a slab over the persistent mid-December weak layer.
Snowpack Summary
Recent light snowfalls have gradually brought about 20-30 cm of new snow to the region. The new snow has buried a temperature crust that likely exists well into the alpine. There are also reports of more isolated pockets of surface hoar beneath the new snow at lower alpine and treeline elevations. This surface hoar is noted in our avalanche activity discussion for having produced numerous storm slab releases in a localized area after the storm ended.
Below the new snow interface, deeper weak layers in the snowpack include a few crusts and surface hoar layers that formed in early January and December. Most recent reports suggest the snow is well bonded to these layers, but recent persistent slab activity over a surface hoar and facet 'combo' at low elevations suggests that a dangerous persistent slab problem may be developing as the mid and upper snowpack consolidate into a stiffer slab over this layer.
Weather Forecast
Monday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow, continuing overnight. Light to moderate southwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -8.
Tuesday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow, continuing overnight. Moderate to strong southeast winds. Alpine high temperatures of -8.
Wednesday: Cloudy with continuing isolated flurries and about 2 cm of new snow. Light to moderate southeast winds. Alpine high temperatures of -7.
Avalanche Forecasts in your Inbox
Avalanche Canada has switched to an RSS feed for its daily forecasts. This is a much more flexible method that allows automatic delivery to your email inbox, or to an RSS reader of your choice.
What are RSS feeds?
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a popular standardized file format allowing up-to-date delivery of web-based content. RSS feeds enable you to receive content updates from websites, delivered to your email through an RSS aggregator (such as blogtrottr.com) or viewed through applications called RSS readers (such as feedly.com).
Set up an RSS feed for your email:
Select a RSS aggregator
- Northwest Inland URL:
http://www.avalanche.ca/api/forecasts/northwest-inland.rss - Copy the url and paste it into the appropriate field of your RSS aggregator.
- Fill in your email address.
- Voila! Watch the Avalanche Canada forecast roll into your inbox.
Forecast Disclaimer
Avalanche Canada's Public Avalanche Bulletin, and other information and services provided by Avalanche Canada, are intended for personal and recreational purposes only.
**THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND IN NO EVENT SHALL THE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES RESULTING FROM DISCOMFORT, INJURY, OR DEATH, CLAIMS BY THIRD PARTIES OR FOR OTHER SIMILAR COSTS, OR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THE INFORMATION.**
The user acknowledges that it is impossible to accurately predict natural events such as avalanches in every instance, and uses the data in this bulletin with this always foremost in mind. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and the Providers disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use the data.
Storm slabs have formed over widespread temperature crusts and more isolated pockets of surface hoar. Slabs are likely to be touchiest where surface hoar is buried as well as in the immediate lee of ridgecrests and exposed terrain features.