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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 16th, 2020–Feb 17th, 2020

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Many areas of Little Yoho have great skiing and a strong deep snowpack. Watch for wind slabs in steep terrain, minimize exposure to cornices which have grown in size recently, and avoid shallow areas where weak basal facets are present.

Weather Forecast

Moderate NW alpine winds with light flurries are forecast on Monday with alpine temperatures between -15 and -18 C. Winds become light and shift to the N on Tuesday as a clearing trend occurs. Wednesday is also clear with rising temperatures.

Snowpack Summary

Some wind effect in the alpine with isolated wind slabs at ridge tops and in lee areas. Up to 40 of snow over the last few days sits over a well settled snowpack with lingering concerns for shallow areas where the basal facets are still present. The Feb 1 crust is present below 1900m and buried between 20 and 50 cm deep depending on the elevation.

Avalanche Summary

No new observations or reports of avalanches in the Little Yoho region on Sunday. Some sluffing in steep rocky terrain was observed due to wind transport up high.

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain on Wednesday

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.