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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 14th, 2018–Mar 15th, 2018

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

Regions

Purcells.

Some snow and cooler temperatures in the forecast. But not enough inputs to impact the danger rating in the short term.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

THURSDAY: Flurries, accumulation 5-10cm / Light west wind / Alpine temperature 1 / Freezing level 1700m FRIDAY: Scattered flurries / Light northwest wind / Alpine temperature 0 / Freezing level 1700m SATURDAY: Scattered flurries / Light west wind / Alpine temperature -1 / Freezing level 1600m

Avalanche Summary

Numerous wet loose avalanches were observed in the region to size 2.5 over the past four days on sunny aspects. On Sunday we received reports of a skier caught in a size 2.5 avalanche in the north of the region. The slab was 20-50 cm thick and started on a steep north east aspect immediately below ridge crest at 2300m. See the MIN post for more details.

Snowpack Summary

Recent sun and warm temperatures have resulted in moist or wet snow on sunny aspects then freezing to form a crust overnight. Generally high elevation northerly aspects still have dry snow.A couple of layers buried in mid-late February (down around 40-100 cm) have shown limited reactivity of late. Persistent slabs have been triggered on shady aspects, where surface hoar and/or facets exist. Deeper persistent weak layers from January and December are generally considered dormant, but could wake up with a surface avalanche stepping down, cornice fall, or a human trigger in a shallow or variable-depth snowpack area. These layers consist of sun crust, surface hoar and/or facets. Facets also linger at the base of the snowpack.

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.