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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 22nd, 2021–Mar 23rd, 2021

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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Little Yoho.

The new snow has made for some great ski conditions but also increased the hazard, especially in places that got 25-35+ cm over the past few days. Use caution in steep lee areas and confined terrain where a small slide can have larger consequences.

Weather Forecast

Tuesday will start out cold and mostly clear with light west winds. Clouds will move in later in the day and winds will increase to the moderate range from the west. Treeline temperatures are expected to stay between -9 and -15 Celsius. No new snow is expected.

Snowpack Summary

10-35 cm of snow has fallen at treeline since March 19th with variable SW-NW winds. This storm snow sits over a sun crust on solar aspects, over a mix of surfaces on North aspects including facets and spotty surface hoar, and over a temperature crust at lower elevations. Minimal new snow at valley bottom with thin areas becoming isothermal.

Avalanche Summary

In Kootenay on Monday, Visitor Safety was able to ski cut a few size 1-1.5 soft storm slabs on steep N aspects at treeline that failed down 20-35 cm on the March 19 interface of facets and surface hoar. Some dry loose avalanches up to size 1.5 were observed and reported in the alpine as well as several small cornice failures.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

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.

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.