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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 14th, 2022–Jan 15th, 2022

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Wind initiated natural avalanche activity could increase Saturday, as Extreme winds dominate the forecast region.

Weather Forecast

A dominant Westerly flow will bring strong to extreme winds to the forecast region this weekend. This will bring a slightly cooler air mass resulting in freezing levels staying near valley bottom. Over the weekend we will see overcast skies and light precipe.

Snowpack Summary

10-15 settled hst with wind over the past few days has added to windslabs at treeline and above. These overlie facets in many places, producing moderate test results. The Dec. 2 crust and facets are generally 60-90cm deep in the snowpack. Some thin snowpack areas have lingering basal depth hoar and facets.

Avalanche Summary

Friday a skier triggered a size 2.5 in the LL backcountry, the skier was almost fully buried and suffered a significant leg injury. The avalanche was initiated on the Dec 2nd persistent problem. On Wednesday, a skier remote size 3 was triggered in Kootenay. It stepped down to the same layer. Activity has increased on this layer with warming temps.

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.