Avalanche Forecast
Issued: Feb 29th, 2024 4:00PM
The alpine rating is , the treeline rating is , and the below treeline rating is Known problems include Storm Slabs, Persistent Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.
LP,
Avalanche Canada
Avoid all avalanche terrain and overhead hazard.
Large natural avalanches or user-triggered avalanches remain very likely.
Special Avalanche Warning effect, click on the red banner above.
Mt. Field and Sunshine Road avalanche closure zones are CLOSED on Friday, March 1st.
Summary
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
A major avalanche cycle occurred Thursday. Large natural & human-triggered avalanches will remain very likely on Friday. Avoid all avalanche terrain and runouts.
Heavy snowfall and no visibility on Thursday. Avalanche control on Mt Whymper (Kootenay NP) on Tuesday and today on Bosworth produced size 2-3 avalanches with every shot. The crowns were 40-100 cm deep and the failure plane was the Feb. 3rd crust and occasionally stepping down to ground.
Snowpack Summary
Extensive wind slabs formation on lee aspects at ridgetop. 60-90 cm of recent snow sits on top of the Feb 3rd crust/ facet layer. This crust is variable in thickness and exists up to 2500m (higher on solar aspects). In thinner eastern areas, the mid and lower snowpack are weak and facetted.
Average snowpack depths at treeline range from 80 cm in thinner eastern areas to 180 cm in thicker western areas.
Weather Summary
Thursday Night: trace amounts in the wake of Thursday's storm. Winds will taper to light and temperatures will drop to -13C
Friday: Mix of sun and cloud. Light winds in the morning, may increase to 30 km/hr in the afternoon. Alpine high -11C
Saturday: Scattered flurries with moderate southerly ridgetop winds. Alpine high -13C
Click here for a more detailed weather forecast
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.
- Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
- Remote triggering is a big concern, be aware of the potential for wide propagations and large, destructive avalanches at all elevations.
Problems
Storm Slabs
Up to 90cm of recent snow has formed touchy slabs which will include wind slabs, storm slabs, and dry loose avalanches. Recent avalanches have stepped down to deeper layers resulting in large propagations on the Feb 3rd crust/facet layer and/or larger avalanches as they scrub down to the ground.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Persistent Slabs
Up to 90 cm of recent snow overlies the Feb. 3rd crust/facet combination. Numerous natural & skier-triggered avalanches have occurred in the last 3 days on this interface. Wide propagations and remote triggering are likely on this layer. Stay clear of avalanche terrain.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Deep Persistent Slabs
Some of the recent avalanches are stepping down to the basal layers near the ground. This seems to be most common in thin, steep, rocky and higher elevation locations and less of a concern in thicker snowpacks with a dense mid-pack. Recent loading has made this layer more sensitive.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood
Expected Size
Valid until: Mar 1st, 2024 4:00PM
