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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 1st, 2020–Mar 2nd, 2020

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

Regions

Glacier.

Slopes with previous heavy skier traffic or avalanche activity may not be as reactive on the February 22nd PWL. Don't get lured into larger terrain just because you ski cut a few small slopes and nothing happened.

Weather Forecast

A weak ridge of high pressure will give sunny periods and isolated flurries today. Treeline temps will reach a high of of -10 C and ridge wind will remain light from the West.

A system hitting the South Coast later this afternoon will bring strong wind, snow and rising temps to the area early this week. We could see up to 40cm by Wednesday morning.

Snowpack Summary

20cm of new snow came with strong SW winds yesterday and overloaded the February 22nd Persistent Weak Layer in many locations. This PWL is now buried 60+cm, and consists of 3-7mm surface hoar on all aspects up to 2450m and a crust on solar aspects. No other layers are currently active in the mid and lower snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche control Saturday morning produced numerous large to very large avalanches (up to size 3.5) in the highway corridor.

Several natural avalanches occurred Friday night. Large avalanches (up to size 3) ran to valley bottom.

Numerous reports of skiers triggering small-large persistent slab avalanches (on the February 22nd layer) this week.

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.

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.