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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 23rd, 2021–Dec 24th, 2021

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 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

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Reports of reactive wind slabs and power sluffing in steep areas. This should improve as we go into the deep freeze over the Christmas period, but may take a couple of days.

Weather Forecast

Friday's forecast is decreasing wind speed, 5cm of snow, and temperatures around -15C. Temperatures will continue to fall into the -30s over the following days.

Snowpack Summary

5-30cm over the last 2 days with strong winds have developed wind slabs at treeline and above. There is 50-70cm over the Dec 2 rain crust (exists below 2200m) but has not been observed as active yet. We are monitoring it closely. The lower snowpack is well settled but shallow areas (<100 cm) may still have a DPS issue near the ground.

Avalanche Summary

Both SSV and LL ski area report thin wind slab formation from strong winds on Thursday to size 1.5. Skiers in Kootenay found reactive wind slab to ski cutting at treeline and softer, loose dry at lower elevations that were running far and fast.

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.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.