Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 21st, 2022 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Wind Slabs and Storm Slabs.
Aaron Beardmore,
Wind slab development was more prevalent in Little Yoho, compared to Banff today. Chose terrain wisely and carefully consider dropping into lee and loaded slopes in the alpine.
Summary
Weather Forecast
The cold snap will continue Tuesday with alpine temperatures as cold as -30. A warming trend and return to seasonal temps will start Wednesday. The wind will shift to the East and remain in the moderate range Tuesday into Wednesday. Little to no snow is expected for the next 3 days.
Snowpack Summary
30-45 cm of recent storm snow was being redistributed into soft slabs in alpine areas on Monday. The new wind slabs could be overlying older and deeper ones from the previous wind event. The Jan 30th surface hoar/sun crust layer is variable in distribution, is 40-60 cm down and is producing hard sudden planar results in some snowpack tests.
Avalanche Summary
The forecasting team observed 3 loose dry avalanches coming from extreme terrain on Mt. Ogden today. While the powder clouds were impressive, there was little mass in any of the 3 avalanches barely constituting a size 1. Additionally, the forecasting team remote triggered a size 1 wind slab on a moraine feature. See MIN for photo.
Confidence
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind slabs that exist from redistribution of recent storm snow still exist in the alpine and some tree line locations. The wind slabs are sitting on a variety of surfaces like hard slabs, SH and facets.
- Watch for surface cracking and stiffer surface layers of snow.
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Storm Slabs
With up to 45cm of recent storm snow, some areas may have developed a storm slab. Expect this to be more reactive in areas where the bed surface exists as a crust. Little in the way of avalanche activity has occurred with this problem as of Monday.
- Watch for fresh storm slabs on exposed lee slopes and open areas at all elevations.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Feb 22nd, 2022 4:00PM
