Avalanche Forecast
Northwest Inland
Strong winds have created very touchy wind slabs. Be cautious in terrain features where snow has accumulated, as the slabs will likely be easy to trigger.
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 features
- Use ridges or ribs to avoid pockets of wind-loaded snow.
- If triggered, wind slabs may step down to deeper layers, resulting in large avalanches.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Several weak layers are lurking in our snowpack. They will be more easily triggered where the snowpack is shallow.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be aware of the potential for wide propagation.
- Minimize overhead exposure, as avalanches could run for long distances.
Avalanche Summary
Many small to large (size 1 to 2) wind slabs were reported on Saturday in steep alpine and cross loaded terrain. They were reported to have released naturally and by skiers due to rapid wind loading from strong northeasterly winds.
Avalanche activity may slow down with a period of cold, clear weather expected to persist well into the week, unless the sun is powerful enough to warm the snow surface. Watch for steep sunny slopes due to the sun’s influence, lee features for reactive wind slabs, and be extra cautious near thin spots and shallow snow pack areas where triggering a deeper weak layer is more likely.
Snowpack Summary
Northerly to easterly winds have created stiff wind slabs on leeward slopes and scoured wind-exposed slopes at all elevations.
Deeper in the snowpack, a crust and/or weak surface hoar layer buried in mid-January now lies about 60 to 100 cm below the surface. The crust exists well into the alpine and the surface hoar can be found in sheltered areas in lower alpine and tree line elevations. Snowpack tests have 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.
Weather Forecast
MONDAY: Partly cloudy with increasing cloudiness, moderate northwesterly winds, alpine temperature -12 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
TUESDAY: Mostly sunny, light to moderate northerly winds, alpine temperature near -10 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny, moderate to strong northerly winds, alpine temperature near -9 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
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.
Strong to extreme winds have produced stiff and touchy wind slabs in lee and cross-loaded features. These slabs will be reactive to both natural and human triggers.