Avalanche Forecast
South Columbia
Pockets of lingering lingering wind slabs can still be found on high northerly aspects where the snow has remained dry and cold.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for wind loaded pockets near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Minimize exposure to overhead hazard from cornices, which may become weak with daytime warming.
Avalanche Summary
A widespread natural avalanche cycle to size 3 was reported over the past several days. These were primarily wet loose avalanches on sunny aspects; however, on Saturday slabs did step down to the mid-February layer (with 50-70 cm crowns) on southerly aspects.
On Wednesday there were reports of both skier triggered and natural wind slab releases up to size 1.5, as well as a size 2 natural cornice failure all on on north aspects between 2000 - 2400 m.
Snowpack Summary
A light dusting of new snow now covers a crust on all but high, north and east facing slopes that still have cold dry snow above a well-settled snowpack. Deeper persistent weak layers from January and December are generally considered dormant, but could wake up with a surface avalanche stepping down, cornice fall, or a human trigger in a shallow or variable-depth snowpack area. These layers consist of sun crust, surface hoar and/or facets.
Weather Forecast
TONIGHT: Flurries. Accumulation 2-4 cm. Ridge wind light, west. Alpine Temperature near -5. Freezing level 800 m.
FRIDAY: Cloudy, light flurries. Accumulation trace. Ridge wind light, northeast. Alpine Temperature near -3. Freezing level 1600 m.
SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy, flurries. Accumulation 5-10 cm. Ridge wind light, east. Alpine Temperature near -4. Freezing level 1600 m.
SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy, light flurries. Accumulation 2-4 cm. Ridge wind light, northwest. Alpine Temperature near -5. Freezing level 1500 m.
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Pockets of reactive wind slab can still be found in leeward areas at upper elevations.