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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 9th, 2016–Feb 10th, 2016

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Explosive control today had mixed results but many large destructive avalanches were triggered. Conditions remain tricky - it's a good time to minimize your exposure to avalanche terrain

Weather Forecast

The freezing level is expected to rise to 1900m again tomorrow. Increasing cloudiness towards the end of the day. Alpine wind is expected to increase to roughly 50km an hour from the West toward the end of the day as well.

Snowpack Summary

50-100 cm of snow overlies the January 6th weak layer of surface hoar, facets and sun crust and recent natural and explosive triggered avalanche activity indicates this layer is still reactive. Extensive wind effect exists in the alpine and at treeline and recent warm temperatures have created suncrusts on southeast through west aspects.

Avalanche Summary

Several size 2-3 avalanches were triggered with explosive control in Yoho Park today. These were all on solar aspects and started as dry slabs then entrained loose wet snow and finished as slow moving wet avalanches. Many triggered slabs lower in the tracks indicating the Jan 6th persistent slab problem is still reactive.

Confidence

Problems

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.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

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.