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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 5th, 2024–Mar 6th, 2024

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

Regions

Lizard-Flathead, South Rockies, Akamina, Flathead, Lizard, Bull, Crowsnest North, Crowsnest South, Elkford East, Elkford West.

⚠️Dangerous avalanche conditions⚠️

Stick to low-angle terrain and be mindful of overhead hazard. Human-triggered and remote-triggered avalanches remain a serious concern.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Large slab avalanches have been reported continuously over the past week in both the BC and Alberta Rockies (many size 2 and some size 3). They are being triggered naturally, as well as by humans and explosives. They are failing in both storm snow layers and on a persistent weak layer of crust and facets (100 to 200 cm deep).

Human-triggering remains a serious concern in alpine and treeline terrain.

Snowpack Summary

The upper snowpack has 30 to 50 cm of low density snow, with a potential sun crust forming on steep sun-exposed slopes. A widespread crust is buried 100 to 200 cm deep, and weak facets above this crust have been producing large avalanches throughout the Rockies. The snow below the crust is mostly strong and bonded.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night

Clearing skies with 1 to 2 cm of snow. 15 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -18 °C.

Wednesday

Sunny. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.

Thursday

Sunny. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Friday

Sunny. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Conservative terrain selection is critical, choose only well supported, low consequence lines.
  • Avoid areas with overhead hazard.
  • Keep in mind that human triggering potential persists as natural avalanching tapers off.
  • Remote triggering is a concern, watch out for adjacent and overhead slopes.
  • Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Problems

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.

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.