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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 1st, 2021–Mar 2nd, 2021

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

We have raised the BTL rating to Moderate, mostly for the Kootenay region where a number of close calls have occurred in the past few days. This one looks serious. The pattern is: South aspect, TL & BTL,, buried crust and facets with an 80 cm slab.

Weather Forecast

The westerly flow continues and will bring another 5 cm on Monday night with clearing by mid-day Tuesday. Expect the alpine winds to remain strong out of the west, also calming down on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday and Thursday look beautiful; blue sky and warm.  Watch out for the sun's effects to the snowpack on Wednesday.

Snowpack Summary

Strong SW winds for the past 36-hours has blown the recent storm snow into windslabs in alpine lee areas and exposed tree line slopes. In Kootenay and around Lake Louise we are tracking a persistent layer of suncrust and facets down 30-60 cm that is producing avalanches and test results. Heads up, this layer is isolated but reacts to skiers.

Avalanche Summary

Two close calls in the Simpson area of Kootenay Park in the past 48-hours. South aspect at treeline and below treeline in the burnt forest is the pattern. With the huge increase in skier traffic in this area, do not lose sight of the fact that this is TIGER COUNTRY. Big slopes, steep runs, and common to get avalanches on buried crusts in March.

Confidence

Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Wednesday

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.