8 JANUARY 1998 SOUTH COAST/VANCOUVER ISLAND WEATHER Most storm boards were cleared on Tuesday/Wednesday with from 40-70cm in many alpine areas in the region. This fell without a great deal of wind. Strong cooling trend with temperatures to -17degress at 2000m and northerly winds which will be stronger at lower elevations. The USA weather forecast models see a low developing in the lee of Vancouver Island which may produce cloud and flurries but the arctic outbreak looks like the prevalent system for the weekend. SNOWPACK Storm snow will now start to get moved by northerly winds. Previously there have been places with up to 1m of unconsolidated snow in lee locations, this is ready and available for wind transport. Where this new slab forms will be the principal new interest over the weekend. The basal layers that have facets are still a concern although recent avalanches are not running down that deep. The mid-pack crust is a current sliding feature in some reports. Steep terrain has poor stability storm snow and sluffs easily where it has been undisturbed by wind. AVALANCHES Lots of size 1 and 2 avalanches with ski cutting and control work, this activity is reported up the Squamish/Tyaughton Lake corridor and the Coquihalla/Manning area. DANGER CONSIDERABLE and trending to MODERATE if the cooler, drier forecast prevails. TRAVEL ADVISORY Watch for that new slab. NORTH COLUMBIA WEATHER It’s time to clear off the storm boards with the change to colder arctic air and the end of that cycle of precipitation. Northern parts of the region received more snow, for example Valemount/Blue River had 50-70cm in the alpine and Glacier Park/central Selkirks had 20-40 since the last bulletin. Strong winds in the alpine were from the south west during the storm but have now changed to northerly. Cooler temperatures and clearer skies for the weekend. SNOWPACK Storm load, new slabs, 50-70cm ski penetration in undisturbed areas and reports of skier remote triggering of size 2.5 avalanches is enough to make us all think very carefully about snow stability while preparing for the weekend. The most sensitive snowpack appears to be in the Esplanade Range and eastern Selkirks. In the north, reasonable bonding of the storm snow is reported with still a concern in the previously thin, weak areas. AVALANCHES Skier remote size 2.5 already mentioned, not much natural activity except sluffing on the steeper non-extreme skier terrain. Snowmobiles reported to surf sluffs on steeper snowmobile terrain. DANGER CONSIDERABLE TRAVEL ADVISORY New slab formed in the alpine during the storm on southwest winds, now previously undisturbed snow will be transported by northerly wind and form slab on a different aspect. Large alpine terrain must be approached with extreme caution and know well the history of that slope this winter. SOUTH COLUMBIA WEATHER Today, Thursday the 8th , is the first time for some areas to clear the storm snow boards and get visibility into the alpine since the New Year. Kokanee Glacier Park has had 235cm of snow in the past ten days. Light snow flurries may continue through Friday but cold temperatures are going to be established for the weekend with a range from -10 to -20degrees at 2000m being typical, clearer skies and northerly winds up to moderate strength. SNOWPACK The weaknesses in the snowpack that have been previously described are now more critically loaded except where large avalanches have released. This new snowpack must be examined as well as the older more critical one. Definitely this region is still the hot spot for poor stability snow with widespread whoomphing, natural avalanches and artificial avalanches. Reports still describe the snowpack as the sleeping giant. This description originated from the Nakusp operation, one of the world centres for surface hoar formation and right now surface hoar is their minor concern. AVALANCHES Numerous avalanches up to size 3.5 in most of the region, natural and long remote distance triggers from skis & explosives. DANGER HIGH through all elevations that have an avalanche threshold snowpack. "Widespread natural avalanches are certain" this is part of the definition of EXTREME danger. Although this is not happening, there is extreme hazard to people who venture into terrain and conditions that they are not able to evaluate. TRAVEL ADVISORY After the prolonged storm period the clearing skies are going to be very tempting for snow travelers. Staying inside the ski area boundaries and on the main snowmobile trails will be safest. The snowpack is described by experienced observers as very spooky. ROCKIES WEATHER The first cold spell of the year has arrived and follows moderate additional amounts of snow for most of the region, Jasper with 30-65cm, Kananaskis with 30cm, Banff/Louise with 20-30cm. Not a bad week. Height of snow is now close to a metre in the north and over 2m in the Fernie area at 2000m so avalanche thresholds are reached for all locations and elevations. SNOWPACK Kananaskis Country seems to have the most difficult snowpack right now. Widespread whoomphing being the most obvious indicator of the older deeper instability. The greater snow amounts to the south are contributing to a significant storm instability. Fernie has the greatest potential for extensive fracture line propagation with significant load on the mid and lower pack weaknesses. Small slabs in and adjacent to ice climbing terrain need to be watched for. The nature of the Rockies snowpack always makes for an increased challenge to snow travelers. This year is no exception. The thoroughly faceted snowpack at lower elevations does go through a transition in the alpine to a base with depth hoar and various wind slabs on top. In some alpine locations the storm snow is still undisturbed and available for wind transport. _ AVALANCHES Elk Pass trail in K country had several size 2 avalanches run to ground. In the Fernie area there were explosives triggered avalanches with 2 and 3m crowns. Little activity reported in other parts of the region. DANGER CONSIDERABLE in the alpine, trending to HIGH in K country and down south while the storm instability settles out. TRAVEL ADVISORY At lower elevations travel conditions are still marginal with ski penetrations to near ground in depth hoar.