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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 2nd, 2012–Jan 4th, 2012

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

Regions

South Rockies.

Confidence

Fair - Freezing levels are uncertain

Weather Forecast

An approaching pacific frontal system will bring light -moderate precipitation to the region tonight with snow amounts up to 5cms. Tuesday: Cloudy with possible sunny breaks. Chance of light precipitation. Ridgetop winds will be 50-75km/hr from the West. Freezing levels may rise to 1300m during the day then fall back to valley bottom. Wednesday: Mix of sun and clouds. Ridgetop winds 55-70km/hr from the West. Freezing levels could rise to 1300m then drop to valley bottom. Thursday: Snow amounts up to 5-10cms. Ridgetop winds near 70km/hr from the West.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported. Yesterday skiers remotely triggered a size 2.0 slide from 10 metres away, that was 60 cm deep, 70 metres wide, and 75 metres in length.

Snowpack Summary

Tests in Hartly Creek on Saturday showed easy results down 20 cm on a layer of stellar crystals. Height of snow in the Koko Claims area is 120 cm at 200 metres. The mid-december surface hoar is down about 30 cm. The mid-pack is generally well consolidated, and there is a 20 cm layer of 4F facets and depth hoar at the ground. The surface hoar is producing easy to moderate shear test results.

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.

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.