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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 31st, 2016–Feb 1st, 2016

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Manage overhead exposure carefully and make judicious terrain choices as large slides are still likely at all elevations. Potential still exists for human triggering of large avalanches.

Weather Forecast

Cooling temperatures (-10 to -15), very light snowfall coupled with light wind for the next few days.

Snowpack Summary

Windslabs in alpine and treeline areas, and new cornices in the alpine. 30-60cm of snow sits over the Jan 6 surface hoar/facet layer and is reactive to skier triggering. Snowpack tests today 1800m in Kootenay yielded moderate compression test results on both the Jan 6 and Dec 3 layers down 55 and 85cm respectively. (surface hoar at this location).

Avalanche Summary

No reported or observed avalanche activity today. However, an extensive natural cycle of avalanches up to size 3 during the past 72 hours with slabs propagating up to several hundred meters and over 40cm deep on many slopes. Conditions remain ripe for human triggering and occasional large natural avalanches.

Confidence

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.