Avalanche Forecast
South Columbia
Snowfall is expected to continue in the coming days with associated moderate to strong southwesterly winds. The new snow is falling on numerous weak layers and will likely be reactive to natural and human triggers. Cautious route finding is advised.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use caution when entering lee areas. Recent wind loading may have created wind slabs.
- Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequence of a small avalanche could be serious.
- If triggered, the storm 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?
Around 40 to 80 cm of snow sits above two weak layers. As this snow continues to settle and gains slab properties, a dangerous slab that is easily triggered may form. Shallower storm slabs could step down to this layer.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use conservative route selection. Choose moderate-angled and well-supported terrain.
- Avoid open slopes and convex rolls at treeline where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
Avalanche Summary
Recent natural, skier-triggered, snowmobile-triggered, and skier-remoted avalanches have been reported on the December 15 layer at and below treeline on all aspects. The avalanches were small to large, being reported between size 1 and 2 with depths of about 40 cm. Numerous reports of whumphing were also noted in low elevation cutblocks and flat terrain.
Numerous natural and explosive-controlled storm slabs were also noted within the recent 10-30 cm of snow, releasing small to large (size 1 to 2) avalanches at all elevations and on all aspects. Reports of loading in northeasterly lee features were also noted.
Please share your observations through the Mountain Information Network.
Snowpack Summary
15-30 cm of new snow has accumulated on surface hoar in sheltered slopes and a sun crust on steep solar aspects. The snow is forming a storm slab, which may not bond well to the underlying layers. The snow also fell with moderate to strong southwesterly winds in the alpine, which produced wind slabs in lee features at treeline and alpine elevations. Below treeline, this new snow is mainly a concern in openings (e.g. cut blocks, gullies, cut banks).
The additional snow could create a dangerous slab above buried weak layers. 40-80 cm of snow overlies two layers composed of weak and feathery surface hoar (buried on December 27 and December 15). The layers are found most often around and below treeline. As the overlying snow forms a cohesive slab, this layer has the potential to create easily-triggerable destructive slab avalanches.
Deeper in the snowpack (90 to 150 cm), a November crust is producing variable test results, from sudden fracture characters to no result. This layer is considered dormant but could be triggered where the snowpack is thin.
Weather Forecast
MONDAY: Cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 5-10 cm, moderate to strong southwesterly winds, alpine temperature near -4 C, freezing level near 800 m.
TUESDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 10-15 cm, light to moderate southwesterly winds, alpine temperature near -5 C, freezing level near valley bottom.
WEDNESDAY: Partly cloudy with intermittent flurries, accumulation 2-5 cm, light to moderate southwesterly winds, alpine temperature near -10 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
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Around 30 cm of new snow is sitting on variable surfaces and may not bond well to them. The snow is falling with elevated winds so the snow may be more cohesive in northeasterly lee features.