Avalanche Forecast
Lizard Range and Flathead
New snow and wind beginning late Saturday afternoon will increase avalanche hazard. If however, the storm arrives earlier than forecasted, hazard ratings will also increase sooner.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could easily trigger slabs.
Avalanche Problem 2: Cornices
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Cornices are reported to be large and several cornice failures have recently been noted.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Extra caution needed around cornices with current conditions.
- Give cornices a wide berth when travelling on or below ridges.
Avalanche Summary
Numerous small slab avalanches have been reported in the top 10-25 cm of snow all through this week. It appears as though moderate amounts of new snow with just the right amount of wind have continuously set up thin, but touchy wind slabs in a variety of places. While these have been mostly small (size 1), a size 2 wind slab avalanche was reported near Fernie on Wednesday morning on a northeast aspect at approximately 2000 m.
Explosive control work on Friday produced wind slab and cornice releases up to size 2 in alpine terrain.
Thursday in the Elkford area, recent small (size 1) loose/dry avalanches were reported on northerly aspects while loose/wet were observed on solar aspects.
Also, cornices are large along ridgetops and were actively failing last week.
Snowpack Summary
20-30 cm storm snow sits above a variety of crusts on all but high north aspects. Wind has formed isolated slabs in lee features, and in some cases snow may be poorly bonded to the crusts.
There are some reports of a surface hoar layer roughly 80 cm deep on north aspects at treeline, but no recent avalanche activity on this layer. A layer of sugary facets around a crust exists near the bottom of the snowpack, but this layer has been inactive for some time.
Weather Forecast
TONIGHT: Mostly clear. Ridge wind light to moderate, west. Alpine temperature near -5. Freezing level valley bottom.
SATURDAY: Increasing cloud, snow beginning in the afternoon. Accumulation 5-15 cm. Ridge wind moderate to strong, south. Alpine temperature near -3. Freezing level 1000 m.
SUNDAY: Cloudy, flurries. Accumulation 5-10 cm by Sunday morning. Ridge wind moderate to strong, west. Temperature near 0. Freezing level 1800 m.
MONDAY: Mix of sun and cloud. Ridge wind moderate, west. Alpine temperature near 0. Freezing level 1800 m.
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 have been a consistent feature for several days and will continue to be an issue in exposed terrain. Shifting winds means you should look out for wind slab on almost all aspects.