Avalanche Forecast
Sea To Sky
New snow and wind have formed touchy storm slabs particulary at upper elevations. With more snow in the forecast, choose moderate, low consequence terrain and carefully monitor how the new snow is bonding.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Whumpfing, shooting cracks and recent avalanches are all strong inicators of unstable snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
Ski cuts and explosive control work on Thursday produced numerous size 1-1.5, up to size 2, storm slab avalanches, 20-50 cm deep, running far and wide within the recent storm snow.
Wednesday ski cutting and explosive control work produced numerous easily triggered size 1 storm slab results up to 40 cm deep running on the January 15th crust.
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 10-15 cm. Ridge wind moderate, southwest. Temperature -6. Freezing level 1000 m.
FRIDAY: Cloudy, snow. Accumulation 10-15 cm. Ridge wind moderate, southwest. Temperature -3. Freezing level 1100 m.
SATURDAY: Cloudy, snow. Accumulation 10-20 cm. Ridge wind moderate, south. Temperature -4. Freezing level 1000 m.
SUNDAY: Cloudy, snow. Accumulation 10-20 cm. Ridge wind moderate south. Temperature -6. 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.