Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 13th, 2016–Dec 14th, 2016

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Little Yoho.

Field teams explored Mt. Field today. No major concerns with avalanche problems but the alders are VERY thick and undesirable in the main ski line.

Weather Forecast

More of the same cold, clear weather with little wind. The temperature is expected to dive to -30 on Friday.

Snowpack Summary

Today field teams recorded a 100cm snowpack at tree line on Mt. Field. The depth increases to about 150cm in alpine areas. The snowpack appears to be well bonded at upper elevations with no significant shears. The upper 50cm of the snowpack is faceting with recent cold temperatures.

Avalanche Summary

A few loose and dry avalanches were observed on Mt. Field today originating from steep rocky terrain up to size 1.

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable on Wednesday

Problems

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.

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.