Avalanche Forecast
Sea To Sky
A wet and wild winter storm system with heavy snowfall, strong winds and mild temperatures is increasing the avalanche hazard. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommend until the new snow has had a chance to settle and bond to the old surface.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
- Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, and shooting cracks.
- New snow will require several days to settle and stabilize.
Avalanche Summary
Tuesday, explosive control work and ski cutting produced numerous size 1-1.5 storm slab releases on leeward aspects at treeline and into the alpine, running on the January 15th crust. Expect this activity to increase as more snow and strong winds forecasted for Wednesday and Thursday.
Warm alpine temperatures on Sunday produced numerous naturally triggered loose wet and wet slab avalanches mostly in the size 1-1.5 range, and a few up to size 2 on solar aspects.
Snowpack Summary
Above 1600 m elevation, 25-50 cm of new snow overlies the January 15th crust which exists on all aspects and elevations. This crust is thin on northerly aspects and up to 3 cm thick on solar aspects. Below this crust 30-40 cm of moist, well settled snow overlies the January 6th crust which is now buried 40-80 cm below the surface and exists up to about 2000m. Beneath the January 6 crust, the lower snowpack is generally strong and well settled.
At lower elevation below treeline the new storm snow is wet and heavy with moist snow below.
Weather Forecast
TONIGHT: Snow. Accumulation 15-25 cm. Ridge wind extreme, southwest. Temperature near 0. Freezing level 1200 m.
THURSDAY: Snow. Accumulation 20-30 cm. Ridge wind strong, southwest. Temperature near 0. Freezing level 1100 m.
FRIDAY: Cloudy, flurries. Accumulation 10-15 cm. Ridge wind moderate, southwest. Temperature near 0. Freezing level 1000 m.
SATURDAY: Cloudy, snow increasing. Accumulation 15-25 cm. Ridge wind light, southwest. Temperature -1. Freezing level 800 m.
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New snow combined with strong southerly winds has formed touchy storm slabs particularly at upper treeline and alpine elevations. These slabs overlie a recent melt-freeze crust and will continue to build with more snow and wind in the forecast.