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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Nov 23rd, 2013–Nov 24th, 2013

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.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

This forecast is based on limited field data. Feel free to send any observations to [email protected].

Confidence

Poor - Due to the number of field observations on Saturday

Weather Forecast

A high pressure ridge is now entrenched across the interior of the province, bringing dry conditions, light north winds and a temperature inversion. In the Kootenays this inversion will be strong enough to drive temperatures above freezing in the alpine.Sunday: Mainly clear skies, no precipitation, moderate winds from the north-west, freezing levels range between 1700 and 2000m.Monday: Mainly clear skies, no precipitation, moderate winds from the west, freezing levels dropping to between 1500 and 1800mTuesday: Partly cloudy, no precipitation, light winds from the south-west, freezing levels rising to between 1700 and 1900m

Avalanche Summary

We've received reports of small lose snow avalanche releasing on steep sunny aspects in the alpine as the temperatures warm.

Snowpack Summary

Between 80 to 100cm of snow can be found at treeline although observations are limited and this amount may vary dramatically across the region.Warm temperatures are encouraging storm snows from earlier in the week to settle and bonding to the underlying thin, early season snow pack.Roughly 60 to 70cm of snow is now sitting on a widespread crust from mid November with a second crust sitting just above the ground.

Problems

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.

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.