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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 22nd, 2015–Jan 23rd, 2015

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Widespread avalanches certain.

Regions

Little Yoho.

Stay tuned - a significant weather system is forecasted for the weekend bumping up the hazard. We are monitoring the incoming system which will be most intense in the Little Yoho region. Game on...

Weather Forecast

Another benign day of weather for Friday. We are keeping a close eye on a significant system moving in Friday night through to Sunday with heaviest snow amounts in the Little Yoho region. The winds will be moderate to strong Westerly during the system with temperatures warming on Sunday reaching alpine highs of 0C and rain to 1900 m : (

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack in the Emerald Lake and Mt Field area is about 130cm deep, with the main weakness being the Dec 18 surface hoar down 50 cm. This layer continues to produce moderate to hard results, but the layer is not found in all areas. We suspect some bonding is occurring with this layer, but remain careful. Buried windslabs exist in alpine areas.

Avalanche Summary

No natural avalanches observed, but forecasters on Mt. Field today experienced a large whumph on Wednesday in an open area at 1850m indicating the deeper layers are still reactive to human triggering in some areas.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.