Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 30th, 2015–Dec 31st, 2015

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.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Little Yoho.

Watch solar aspects in the afternoon. Solar triggered avalanches can be expected out of steep south facing terrain as the day warms up.

Weather Forecast

A strong ridge of high pressure will dominate the region through the weekend bringing lots of sunshine and calm winds. Temperatures will start to warm on Thursday and by Friday freezing levels forecast to be around 1800 m.

Snowpack Summary

A well settled snowpack with few weaknesses exists throughout the region. Isolated wind slabs up to size 1.5 exist on leeward slopes at treeline and above from recent wind effect. Below 2000m, the Dec 3 layer of surface hoar remains visible and produces hard, planar test results in some areas but has not been reactive to skier traffic.

Avalanche Summary

Several natural and skier triggered wind slabs up to size 1.5 have been observed in the past 48 hours at and above treeline. Sluffs out of steep solar terrain were observed today with the warming temperatures.

Confidence

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.