Avalanche Forecast

South Coast Inland

Date issued

Dec 15, 2017 - 4:20 PM

Valid until

Dec 16, 2017 - 2:00 PM

Prepared by

jmcbride

A storm system is expected to arrive late Saturday and into Sunday, with highest snowfall amounts in the southern part of the region. Watch for new snow and wind building fresh slabs in lee areas.

Regular season
Friday - December 15, 2017
Alpine

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.

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.

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.

Saturday - December 16, 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.

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.

Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs

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

The new storm snow overlies a variety of old surfaces and may be easily triggered especially in areas where there has been additional loading from wind on top of a hard crust.

Travel and Terrain Advice
  • Be careful with wind loaded pockets in leeward areas, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.

Avalanche Summary

There have been no new avalanche reports since last weekend when numerous loose wet avalanches up to size 2 were observed on northerly aspects along the Duffey Lake Road with rapid daytime warming on Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

A light dusting of new snow now covers the crust that formed on all aspects with the exception of shaded north aspects at upper elevations where the old snow surface consisted of dry, sugary snow (facets). Beneath the snow surface the upper snowpack is well settled and overlies the late November rain crust, now 20-50 cm deep. Snowpack tests in the Duffey Lake area early in the week produced hard, resistant compression test results on small sugary, snow crystals (facets) associated with this layer. However these facets were noted to be showing signs of "rounding" or gaining strength. Treeline snow depths are approximately 1 m throughout the region.

Weather Forecast

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy, flurries. Accumulation up to 5 cm. Ridge winds moderate from the southwest. Temperature -4. Freezing level 700 m.

SUNDAY: Snow. Accumulation 5-20 cm (highest amounts for Coquihalla area). Ridge winds moderate from the southwest. Temperature -2. Freezing level 700 m.

MONDAY: Snow. Accumulation 5-15 cm (highest amounts for Coquihalla area). Ridge winds moderate from the west. Temperature -4. Freezing level 700 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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