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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 21st, 2018–Jan 22nd, 2018

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, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Jasper.

Two SH layers stand-out in the upper 30-40cms. The reactivity of these layers is highly variable. Look for signs of instability like cracking, whumpfing, and natural activity on similar slopes to help make an informed decision to ride or not.

Weather Forecast

Light snowfall amounts through to Wednesday perhaps adding another 5-10cm. The winds will continue SW with strong to moderate gusts at RT and will re-distribute any new snow. Alpine temperatures will remain seasonal with alpine highs of -6.

Snowpack Summary

Windslab continues to build in open areas which has covered two troubling surface hoar layers in the top 30 to +50cm of the snowpack. The distribution of this SH in the terrain has been found in immediate lees of wind swept features, around TL elevations and into the alpine. It's potentially active with a light trigger like a unsuspecting rider.

Avalanche Summary

Loose and soft slabs up to size 1.5 reported from steep rocky terrain.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Monday

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.