Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Inland
Watch for areas where reactive wind slabs may still be lingering. And keep in mind that it may still be possible to trigger a deeper weak layer, especially in thin or shallow areas.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Avoid lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests or convex rolls.
- Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, or shooting cracks.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Weak layers buried 100-150 cm below the surface have been reactive in snowpack tests and have also produced a few large avalanches recently. These layers may also remain sensitive to human triggering in shallow snowpack areas.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid lingering in runout zones, avalanches triggered from above may run long distances.
- Avoid shallow or thick to thin snowpack areas where triggering a deeper layer is more likely.
Avalanche Summary
There have been no new reports of avalanches since Wednesday when widespread natural avalanche activity up to size 2.5 was reported on wind-loaded leeward, slopes as well as loose snow releases on steep solar aspects in the afternoon.
Avalanche activity will likely taper off with a period of cold, clear weather expected to persist well into the week. Watch for areas where reactive windslabs may still linger, and be extra cautious near thin spots and shallow snow pack areas where triggering a deeper weak layer is more likely.
Snowpack Summary
Winds (mostly northwesterly) have scoured wind-exposed slopes and created stiff wind slabs on leeward slopes at tree line and above. In areas sheltered from the wind, you can still find 30-50 cm of settled storm snow.
A crust and/or weak feathery surface hoar layer buried in mid-January now lies about 100 cm below the surface. The crust exists well into the alpine and the surface hoar can be found in sheltered areas in the lower alpine and tree line elevations. Snowpack tests produced hard, sudden results on weak, sugary snow crystals associated with this crust in the Smithers area, indicating that this is still a layer of concern to watch for.
Another two crust / surface hoar layers that were buried in December are now 100-150 cm below the surface and may still be sensitive to triggering from shallow snowpack areas.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Ridge wind, moderate, northeast. Temperature -15. Freezing level valley bottom.
MONDAY: Mostly sunny. Ridge wind light to moderate, northwest. Temperature -10. Freezing level valley bottom.
TUESDAY: Mostly sunny. Ridge wind light, northwest. Temperature -8. Freezing level valley bottom.
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Winds have formed stiff wind slabs in exposed areas at tree line and above. These slabs may still be reactive to human triggering. Also a release near the surface may step-down to a deeper layer buried in the snowpack.