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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 23rd, 2022–Jan 24th, 2022

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/links/goto_e.asp?destination=

As temperatures cool and the winds back off Monday, we expect the hazard to do the same.

Be aware that it is still heads-up hockey out there with both lingering windslabs and the persistent slab problem producing recent avalanches.

Weather Forecast

As a trough moves south through Alberta Monday, most of the region will see patchy cloud and light flurries as temperatures cool a few degrees. Winds are expected to shift north and back to light to moderate speeds. The winds look to rebound Tuesday as do the temperatures which may reach -5C in the alpine.

Snowpack Summary

Wind effect and wind slabs in the alpine and exposed tree-line areas. New suncrusts steep solar. 20 to 40 cm of recent snow lies over a facet interface formed in late December. The Dec2 crust and facets are generally 60-100cm deep and continue to produce results in snowpack tests. Some thin snowpack areas have lingering basal depth hoar and facets.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche control in Kootenay and on the Sunshine road Friday produced several results to size 2 at alpine and tree line elevations. The predominant weak layer triggered, were surface winds slabs 20-40cm deep. This past week we have observed several large avalanches failing on the persistent avalanche problem.

Confidence

Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Tuesday

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.