January 08, 2008
Whistler Avalanche conditions
January 08, 2008
Alpine: Considerable
Treeline: Moderate
Below Treeline: Low
Travel Advisory: A series of intense systems moved through our area last week bringing heavy precipitation with strong SE winds. 4cm of loose dry snow fell early this morning onto the previous 73cm of storm snow. There has been significant loading into lee alpine and treeline terrain. Expect to find areas with large deposits of snow and many areas scoured down to the early december crust. There still exists a significant potential for skiers to trigger persistent deep instabilities in the snowpack from shallow weak spots. The natural avalanche cycle that occurred during the storm has left large debris in the normal runout zones. Watch for easlily triggered soft cornice noses that will continue to grow with forecasted precipitation and winds.
Avalanche Activity: Easily triggered size one soft slabs were observed high in lee alpine start zones this morning. At lower elevations the new snow was loose and sluffing easily on variable old surfaces. Moderate winds are also causing natural sluffing in very steep terrain. A significant natural avalanche cycle occurred during the storm on Saturday and evidence of avalanches up to size 3.5 were observed. A size 3 skier accidental on Sunday occurred in the ski area on a NE aspect post explosive testing and ski cutting. The crown was 3.75 meters deep and 75 meters wide and was determined to have ran on the December 4th rain crust.
Snowpack: The overnight winds were moderate creating isolated soft windslabs in high alpine terrain. The new snow is sitting on a variety of storm snow surfaces that were created by strong winds at the end of last week. The December 4th facet crystal and raincrust weakness sits up to 3.75m deep in some lee features but on average it's 1.5-2.5m deep. However, in some wind affected terrain you can still find it on the surface. Although this buried weakness has gradually been gaining strength, we continue to see significant results on this layer on all aspects. Snowpack tests from yesterday saw moderate clean shears on the crust.
Weather: A frontal system over our area will continue to give us more snow today with strong winds. We should receive 10-15cm by tomorrow morning. Unsettled conditions will follow tomorrow with a more intense system reaching us late tomorrow night and into Thursday.
January 08, 2008
Alpine: Considerable
Treeline: Moderate
Below Treeline: Low
Travel Advisory: A series of intense systems moved through our area last week bringing heavy precipitation with strong SE winds. 4cm of loose dry snow fell early this morning onto the previous 73cm of storm snow. There has been significant loading into lee alpine and treeline terrain. Expect to find areas with large deposits of snow and many areas scoured down to the early december crust. There still exists a significant potential for skiers to trigger persistent deep instabilities in the snowpack from shallow weak spots. The natural avalanche cycle that occurred during the storm has left large debris in the normal runout zones. Watch for easlily triggered soft cornice noses that will continue to grow with forecasted precipitation and winds.
Avalanche Activity: Easily triggered size one soft slabs were observed high in lee alpine start zones this morning. At lower elevations the new snow was loose and sluffing easily on variable old surfaces. Moderate winds are also causing natural sluffing in very steep terrain. A significant natural avalanche cycle occurred during the storm on Saturday and evidence of avalanches up to size 3.5 were observed. A size 3 skier accidental on Sunday occurred in the ski area on a NE aspect post explosive testing and ski cutting. The crown was 3.75 meters deep and 75 meters wide and was determined to have ran on the December 4th rain crust.
Snowpack: The overnight winds were moderate creating isolated soft windslabs in high alpine terrain. The new snow is sitting on a variety of storm snow surfaces that were created by strong winds at the end of last week. The December 4th facet crystal and raincrust weakness sits up to 3.75m deep in some lee features but on average it's 1.5-2.5m deep. However, in some wind affected terrain you can still find it on the surface. Although this buried weakness has gradually been gaining strength, we continue to see significant results on this layer on all aspects. Snowpack tests from yesterday saw moderate clean shears on the crust.
Weather: A frontal system over our area will continue to give us more snow today with strong winds. We should receive 10-15cm by tomorrow morning. Unsettled conditions will follow tomorrow with a more intense system reaching us late tomorrow night and into Thursday.
