Avalanche Forecast

Sea To Sky

Date issued

Dec 16, 2017 - 5:07 PM

Valid until

Dec 17, 2017 - 2:00 PM

Prepared by

mgrist

Wind-driven snow will increase the avalanche danger on Sunday. Watch for how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.

Regular season
Sunday - December 17, 2017
Alpine

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Treeline

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Below Treeline

1 - Low

Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

Natural and human-triggered avalanches unlikely.

Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain.

Monday - December 18, 2017
Alpine

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Treeline

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Below Treeline

1 - Low

Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

Natural and human-triggered avalanches unlikely.

Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain.

Tuesday - December 19, 2017
Alpine

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Treeline

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

Below Treeline

1 - Low

Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

Natural and human-triggered avalanches unlikely.

Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain.

Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs

What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?

The new storm snow may be easily triggered, especially in areas with additional loading from wind.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets in down wind areas, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
  • Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, shooting cracks or recent natural avalanches.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported.

Avalanche activity is expected to increase with the wind-driven snow on Sunday, especially on north through east aspects at higher elevations.

Snowpack Summary

A light dusting of new snow covers the melt-freeze crust that formed on all aspects and elevations. On north aspects this crust is thin with dry, sugary snow crystals (facets) below.

Beneath the surface, the upper snowpack is well settled and overlies a thin layer of facets on the late-November rain crust. Snowpack tests found hard, sudden compression test results on the facets just above the crust, which is now down approximately 50 cm at tree line elevations.

The lower snowpack is well settled and consists of several crusts that formed in the early season.

Weather Forecast

After a long drought we'll see some new snow, blown in by southwest winds.

SUNDAY: Snow. Accumulation 10-15 cm. Ridge wind moderate from the southwest. Freezing level 1000 m.

MONDAY: Cloudy, flurries. Accumulation up to 5 cm. Ridge wind light from the west. Freezing level 700 m.

TUESDAY: Snow. Accumulation up to 10-20 cm. Ridge wind moderate from the south west. Freezing level 800 m.

Danger Ratings Explained

1 - Low

Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

Natural and human-triggered avalanches unlikely.

Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain.

2 - Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern.

Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Small avalanches in specific areas; or large avalanches in isolated areas.

3 - Considerable

Dangerous avalanche conditions. Careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding and conservative decision-making essential.

Natural avalanches possible; human-triggered avalanches likely.

Small avalanches in many areas; or large avalanches in specific areas; or very large avalanches in isolated areas.

4 - High

Very dangerous avalanche conditions. Travel in avalanche terrain not recommended.

Natural avalanches likely; human-triggered avalanches very likely.

Large avalanches in many areas; or very large avalanches in specific areas.

5 - Extreme

Avoid all avalanche terrain.

Natural and human-triggered avalanches certain.

Large to very large avalanches in many areas.

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