Avalanche Forecast
Lizard Range and Flathead
New wind slabs are building quickly. These can be triggered by the weight of a person.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Travel on ridgetops to avoid wind slabs on slopes below.
- Minimize exposure to overhead hazard from cornices.
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
Avalanche Problem 2: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Storm snow will be especially sensitive to human triggers in steep or convex terrain.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid travelling on ledges and cliffs where sluffing may have severe consequences.
- Avoid open slopes and convex rolls at treeline where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
- Choose conservative lines and watch for clues of instability.
Avalanche Summary
A skier triggered a size 2 slab on a steep south-east facing slope near ridge crest at 1970 m on Saturday. It was 20-60 cm deep and failed on facets. Explosives testing produced several loose dry avalanches in steep terrain. A natural cornice fall triggered a size 2 wind slab on a north-east aspect.
A skier also remotely triggered a size 2 persistent slab on a north aspect at 1750 m. It failed on surface hoar, which is isolated in its distribution, but is most likely found on sheltered north aspects.
A developing wind slab problem was observed as winds picked up throughout the day. These problems are expected to continue to develop, and may be especially touchy in specific locations where they overlie buried persistent weak layers.
Snowpack Summary
New wind slabs are building quickly as available light dry snow is moved around by moderate winds. Snow spillage from steep ground is also loading up fan features. In more sheltered locations, you may encounter storm slabs or loose dry sluffing. These upper snowpack problems overlie various old surfaces including old hard wind slabs, crusts, facets and spotty surface hoar. Storm slabs and wind slabs were becoming reactive to human triggers on Saturday in some areas.
Deeper in the snowpack, the widespread mid-December weak layer sits about 130-220 cm deep. This consists of a crust, facets or surface hoar. Near the base of the snowpack, a crust/facet layer could be awoken from a thin-spot trigger point, or with a very large load like a cornice fall.
Weather Forecast
SUNDAY: 15 cm light dry snow. Freezing level near 1000 m. Light to moderate south-westerly winds.
MONDAY: Mainly cloudy with flurries possible. Freezing level near 700 m. Moderate west to north-westerly winds.
TUESDAY: 5-10 cm snow. Freezing level near 1000 m. Moderate to strong south-westerly winds.
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
- Lizard Range and Flathead URL:
http://www.avalanche.ca/api/forecasts/lizard-range.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.
Wind slabs are touchy and can be triggered by you. They can be found near ridges and ribs.