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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 2nd, 2020–Mar 3rd, 2020

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

Regions

Glacier.

Natural avalanches are possible today, and if triggered could be large enough to reach valley bottoms. Today is a good day to minimize exposure to overhead avalanche terrain.

Weather Forecast

A fast moving low pressure center passing our area today will give strong SW winds, up to 15cm of snow (mostly falling this evening), and rising temperatures (freezing level of 1100m, but a treeline high of -6).

Another similar system passes Tuesday evening giving strong winds, rising temps and up to 15cm of snow.  On Wednesday we get a brief break.

Snowpack Summary

Strong gusting Extreme SW winds are building fresh windslabs in all open terrain. The February 22nd persistent weak layer is now buried down 60+cm, and consists of 3-7mm surface hoar on all aspects up to 2450m, and a crust on solar aspects. No other layers are currently active in the mid and lower snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous reports of skier and remotely triggered large persistent slab avalanches (on the Feb 22nd layer) this weekend.

Avalanche control Saturday morning produced numerous large to very large avalanches (up to size 3.5) in the highway corridor.

Several natural avalanches occurred Friday night. Large avalanches (up to size 3) ran to valley bottom.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

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.

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.