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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 6th, 2014–Jan 7th, 2014

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Sea To Sky.

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: Light snowfall / Moderate southwest winds / Freezing level at 800mWednesday: Moderate snowfall with heavy amounts possible in direct coastal areas / Moderate to strong southwest winds / Freezing level at 800mThursday: Light snowfall / Light winds / Freezing level at 700m

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported.

Snowpack Summary

We have received reports of surface hoar and near surface facets growing over the past few days. I suspect the sun and warm alpine temps have destroyed these crystals on solar aspects leaving a melt-freeze crust; but these crystals may stay around long enough on shaded aspects to get buried by the next storm. Northerly outflow winds have stripped north aspects and developed sastrugi waves in open terrain.Buried surface hoar and/or a thin rain crust have been reported buried down about 40 cm in the West and South of the region. There continues to be concern for weak basal facets in isolated shallow rocky snowpack areas. Early season riding hazards such as rocks, stumps and logs are lurking below the surface in many areas. In glaciated terrain open and poorly bridged crevasses are everywhere.

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.