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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 25th, 2013–Jan 26th, 2013

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

The hazard is still elevated W of the divide, where fresh wind slabs are sitting over hard surfaces in the alpine.SH

Weather Forecast

Moderate NW winds Saturday and valley bottom freezing levels.  Only a trace of snow expected tomorrow throughout the forecast region.  Another pulse of snow is currently being forecast starting midday Monday.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 30cm in last 48 hrs along and W of the divide, with lesser amounts to the E.  Soft wind slabs are sitting on previous hard wind slabs in the alpine.  Mainly facetted midpack in thin snowpack areas.  Jan 6 surface hoar can be found in various locations down approx.30 cm producing mod. compression results in the sunshine study plot today.

Avalanche Summary

Sunshine village saw ski cutting on reloaded bed surfaces today to size 1 in isolated alpine features.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations on Friday

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.