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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 15th, 2020–Mar 16th, 2020

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

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Watch for the effects of daytime heating on steep solar slopes and continue to avoid steep shallow snowpack areas where the basal weakness is most likely to be triggered. Enjoy the great skiing and travel conditions!

Weather Forecast

Sunny skies and warmer temperatures on Monday with treeline temperatures between -10 and -2'C. Wind will generally be light from the North all day. Valley bottom temperatures may climb above freezing and solar inputs will likely start to affect steep sunny slopes by mid morning.

Snowpack Summary

15-20 cm of snow over the last several days has been redistributed by moderate winds from various directions (SW, N and E). New wind slabs are present in steep lee areas, with wind effect on many open slopes above treeline. On some steep solar aspects a thin sun crust is present. In shallow snowpack areas the weak basal facets remain a concern.

Avalanche Summary

Three new slab avalanches from size 2-2.5 on Hector, Castle and Cory were observed Sunday. All three of them were on steep SW cross loaded shallow slopes and highlight the basal weakness in shallow areas. A few small solar triggered sluffs were also observed out of steep rocky terrain. A couple smaller wind slab avalanches were observed Saturday.

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.

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.