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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 18th, 2024–Feb 19th, 2024

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay, Banff, East Side 93N, Kootenay, Lake Louise, LLSA, Sunshine, West Side 93N, Field.

While ski quality has improved, keep in mind that low-likelihood/high-consequence avalanche problems are best managed with conservative terrain choices.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Ski areas are reporting reactivity of the recent snow that sits on the early Febuary crust. Resulting in avalanches up to size 1.5.

Skiers triggered a size 2.5 slab on a S aspect at 3050 m on Mt Vaux on Thursday while boot-packing.

A size 2 and 2.5 skier-triggered deep persistent slab at 2750 m on a SE aspect in the Cirque Forepeak area occurred Tuesday.

The deeper layers can still be triggered in thin snowpack areas at high elevations.

Snowpack Summary

Suncrust on steep solar aspects. Isolated wind slabs in the alpine. 10-25 cm of facetted snow over the Feb 3 crust. The crust is found in most locations except above 2500 m on N aspects, and varies in thickness from 0.5-15 cm with a thicker crust in deeper snowpack areas and at lower elevations. Persistent weak facet layers remain present in the mid and bottom of the snowpack and have recently produced avalanches on the ground in rocky thin snowpack areas at higher elevations.

Weather Summary

A few clouds during the day on Monday, become mainly cloudy at night, making isolated flurries a possibility for most regions. Moderate to strong westerly ridgetop winds. Freezing levels near valley bottom, with the alpine high of -6C during the day.

For more information be sure to check AvCan's Mountain Weather.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avalanche hazard may have improved, but be mindful that deep instabilities are still present.
  • Be especially cautious near rock outcroppings, on steep convexities and anywhere the snowpack feels thinner than average.
  • Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.