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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 7th, 2016–Jan 8th, 2016

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Thursday saw strong East winds in the main valley near Field, BC. Small wind slabs, and sluffing in steep terrain with the new snow and winds were observed. These problems should stabilize quickly but use caution at higher elevations on Friday.

Weather Forecast

Clearing and cooling trend for Friday as Arctic air pushes down from the north. Day time highs in the alpine in the mid-teens.

Check our weather stations for current conditions.

Snowpack Summary

A few cm of new snow sits over the Jan 6 surface hoar and facets. Wind slabs exist in the alpine. Buried sun crusts exist on steep S/SW aspects. Below 2000m, the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar and facets remains visible down 20-50 cm but is currently dormant. Thin areas are faceting out and weakening.

Avalanche Summary

Lots of loose dry sluffing up to size 1.5 out of steep terrain Thursday as the arctic air pushed into the Rockies and moved the loose snow around in the alpine. Touchy new wind slabs were reported in immediate alpine lee areas on E - SW aspects, also from the NE winds during the day. These were easily triggered by ski cutting near ridge crests.

Confidence

Wind speed and direction is uncertain on Thursday

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.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.