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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 21st, 2021–Jan 22nd, 2021

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
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

South Rockies.

Watch for small wind slabs and cornices in steep alpine terrain and practice good travel habits.

Confidence

High - Confidence is due to a stable weather pattern; little change is expected for several days.

Weather Forecast

THURSDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy, light northeast wind, treeline temperatures drop to -15 C.

FRIDAY: Mix of sun and cloud with morning fog, light northwest wind, treeline temperatures around -10 C.

SATURDAY: Mix of sun and cloud, moderate west wind, treeline temperatures around -12 C.

SUNDAY: Cloudy with isolated flurries and trace amounts of snow, light southwest wind, treeline temperatures around -12 C.

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanches have been reported.

Snowpack Summary

A variety of wind affected surfaces covers alpine and upper treeline terrain, while a hard crust is found up to 1800 m and higher on solar slopes. A solid mid-pack sits above some decomposing crust and facet layers near the bottom of the snowpack (100-150 cm deep). Avalanche activity on these layers has been sporadic, mostly triggered by large loads such as wind slab avalanches and cornice falls. These layers are most likely unreactive under the current conditions, but steep rocky slopes should still be carefully assessed and approached with caution.

Terrain and Travel

  • Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.

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.