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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 12th, 2020–Mar 13th, 2020

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.
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.

Excellent ski quality and coverage right now.  Keep the avalanche problems in mind when considering exposing yourself to committing terrain.

Weather Forecast

An East/ South East flow will develop Friday and winds will increase into the moderate range.  5cm is possible Thursday night and very light amounts for Friday . Temperatures will decrease throughout the day and we will be in a deep freeze by Saturday with temperatures from -20 to -25C.

Snowpack Summary

15-25cm of snow over the last 2 days has been transported by moderate winds at upper elevations creating wind slabs on immediate lee slopes. On steep solar a thin crust has formed on the surface. We continue to monitor the deep, weak facetted snow in the shallower areas of the park.

Avalanche Summary

Direct observation of a natural size 3 cornice release from the postcard face on Cascade mountain Wednesday. The avalanche ran 1700m to the top of the run out zone. Another size 2 wind slab was observed from the last 24 hours on a S facing  slope at 2300m on Observation Peak.  Some sloughing has been observed in steep terrain.

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.

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.