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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 8th, 2022–Jan 11th, 2022

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

Regions

Waterton Lakes.

Though natural avalanche activity may tapper tomorrow skier triggered avalanches remain likely. Pay close attention to rising temperatures Monday as hazard will increase with temps throughout the day. Limit exposer to overhead hazard. 

Weather Forecast

Sunday: Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. Moderate gusting to strong W wind. Alpine high -13. Freezing level valley bottom.

Monday: Cloudy. Inversion with alpine high -1 and valley bottom remaining below freezing. Moderate W winds.

Tuesday: Cloudy. Inversion with alpine high -1 and valley bottom below freezing. Moderate W winds.

Snowpack Summary

50 cm of storm snow sits atop a 10 - 30 cm hard wind slab. Mid pack is well settled. Facets are found above Dec 4 crust down 80-120 cm. A 20-60 cm thick Nov crust complex completes the snowpack to ground. No results have been seen on the Dec 4 layer in our pits this week.

Avalanche Summary

Natural avalanche cycle with numerous storm slabs up to 2.5 observed on road patrol today. Thanks to everyone posting on the Mountain Information Network, keep up the great work, we really do read them.

Confidence

Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.