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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 12th, 2025–Jan 13th, 2025

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Watch for wind slabs that can be found in the alpine and steep, isolated locations at treeline.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Sunday, a field team in the Emerald slide path area was able to kick off very small wind slabs at treeline in extreme terrain and noted a natural size 2-2.5 wind slab on the SE face of Carnarvon (above Hamilton Lake). This had slid in the past 24 ish hours and appeared to have started as a cornice failure.

Snowpack Summary

10-20 cm of new snow since Dec 7 has been blown into slabs in the alpine and isolated treeline locations. The recent snow sits on a layer of facets and surface hoar in some locations. Moist snow up to 2400m on steep solar aspects.

The mid-pack is generally strong; however, a weak facet layer can be found near the ground in shallow snowpack areas.

At treeline, average snowpack depth ranges from 120 to 150 cm and overall is deeper and stronger than it is East of the divide.

Weather Summary

Monday brings moderate NW alpine winds, temps from -4 to -9C at treeline and no new snow.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.

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.