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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 29th, 2024–Jan 30th, 2024

Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
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 unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Glacier.

Freezing levels are forecasted to stay near ridgetop until Thurs. Until the snowpack gets locked in by cold temps, natural and human triggered avalanches are likely at all elevation bands.

As I mentioned yesterday, your best and safest option for skiing/riding will be at a ski hill.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

A natural avalanche cycle has continued from yesterday into Monday, with numerous avalanches to sz 4 running within the highway corridor. A remote trigger adjacent to the west end of Glacier NP resulted in a sz 3.5 running from the Alpine to valley bottom.

The same obs have been noted in the backcountry, with numerous wet/loose avalanches to sz 3 observed at all elevations/aspects, gouging deep in confined gullies.

Snowpack Summary

Warmth, new snow, and wind have created widespread wet slabs. Currently these slabs are reactive at all elevations until temps drop later in the week.

A sun crust (Jan 3), down 60-80cm, can be found at and below Tree-line on S-SW aspects. The current avalanche cycle is seeing storm slabs stepping down to this layer and deeper within confined gullies.

The Dec 1 surface hoar layer, down ~120cm, is decomposing.

Weather Summary

The Pineapple Express on the West Coast has elevated temps for our region and will bring S'ly winds with precip.

Tonight: Rain and wet snow, 15cm, Alpine low 0°C. Gusty Moderate SW winds. Freezing level (FZL) 1900m

Tues: Flurries, trace amounts. High 0°C. Gusty mod/strong S winds. FZL 2000m.

Wed: Sun and cloud, showers. High 3°C. Mod gusty SE winds. FZL 2600m.

Thurs: Cloudy. High 0°C. FZL 1900m.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • The more the snowpack warms-up and weakens, the more conservative you`ll want to be with your terrain selection.

Problems

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.