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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 9th, 2017–Mar 10th, 2017

Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
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.

We expect the hazard to rise overnight Thursday, with new snow, strong wind and a sharp rise in temperature forecast. This may trigger a natural avalanche cycle on Friday. Ice climbers remember there is WAY more snow overhead at higher elevations.

Weather Forecast

A westerly flow brings another system across the region starting Thursday evening and running until Saturday morning. Friday will be a stormy day; expect another 10 cm at treeline with temperatures rising 10-15 degrees through the day. Winds will also rise, reaching SW 50-75 km/hr at 3000m throughout Friday morning.

Snowpack Summary

60-70cm of storm snow over the past week is surprisingly reactive. With the addition of more snow, increasing wind and rising temperature on Friday, the upper meter of the snowpack will continue to produce avalanches. Expect fresh windslab formation in avalanche paths on Friday with plenty of volume for large avalanches to run long distances.

Avalanche Summary

Large avalanches are occurring daily. Thursday's avalanche control produced size 3 avalanches on Mt Field running over the ice climb Silk Tassel. On Hwy93N, we triggered a size 3 on Mt Hector and a size 2.5 on Dolomite Peak as well as observed fresh natural avalanche activity. Heads up if you're ice climbing in Field - naturals may run on Friday.

Confidence

Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Friday

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.