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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 29th, 2019–Dec 30th, 2019

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

Regions

Glacier.

Watch out for wind loaded pockets and avoid areas where the Dec 11th surface hoar has not already been triggered.

Weather Forecast

A mix of sun and cloud today with an alpine high of -3 and light winds at ridgetop. Freezing levels rising to 1300m. Tomorrow winds pick up to strong from the SW with flurries accumulating to 6cm and temperatures falling. Tuesday the bulk of the storm arrives with up to 40cm and moderate SW winds.

Snowpack Summary

15cm recent new snow on top of surface hoar at treeline and a thin crust on steep solar aspects. The cold temperatures this week have weakened the top 50cm of previous storm snow. Below that it is quite stiff down to the Dec 11th surface hoar (5-12mm) which is now down 90-130cm. Early season crusts still persist in the rounding lower snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

Several natural avalanches since the pre Christmas storm were observed on all aspects running to size 3. Natural activity is now slowing.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Tuesday

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.