Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 14th, 2015–Mar 15th, 2015

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

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

Little Yoho.

Conditions will improve as temperatures cool off Sunday. Watch locally for wind slab formation at upper elevations. SH

Weather Forecast

15-20 cm in the alpine can be expected in most of the forecast region by Sunday AM. Rain will stop this evening and turn to snow at valley bottom. This is a quick moving system which will settle down Sunday morning. Freezing levels to valley bottom and alpine highs of -8C for Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

Rain at lower elevations (below 2000m) has saturated thin snowpack areas. 15-20cm and mod-strong West winds are expected by Sunday morning, which will form fresh wind slabs over previous wind slabs and hard surfaces in exposed lee terrain.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed or reported today.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations on Saturday

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.