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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 26th, 2013–Mar 27th, 2013

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Early Spring conditions exist with associated hazards. The danger rating may be lower if there is a good freeze, and will deteriorate with daytime warming.

Weather Forecast

Continued sunny weather with light winds cool nights and warm days. Temperatures are generally rising (warmer highs and lows), so overnight freezes won't be as good.  Alpine winds may pick up on Friday from the NW.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack is mostly stable except for isolated wind slabs and solar effects on southerly aspects with daytime heating. Cornices are still a concern and cornice falls have triggered some deep slabs in the last week. Weaker shallow snowpack areas should still be treated with caution, especially as they warm up in the afternoon sun.

Avalanche Summary

One size 2 natural  at treeline on a west aspect on Mt. Andromache. This was a deep slab that failed on the basal facets in the afternoon sun today or yesterday (see facebook page for photo).  Another size 2.5 on a NE aspect of Pilot Mtn.  This was in the alpine and may have been triggered by a cornice fall. 

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.