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

Jan 16th, 2021–Jan 17th, 2021

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

Regions

Glacier.

The recent storm snow has gained strength quickly, however uncertainty remains with the Jan 10 SH interface.

Take the time to identify weak layers as you travel today.

Weather Forecast

High pressure builds today, but will be pushed out by a cold front tonight.

Today: Cloudy with isolated flurries and sunny periods. Freezing level 1000m. Winds SW 15 to 25 km/h.

Tonight: Scattered flurries, 5cm. Freezing level 700m. Winds SW-25 to 35 km/h.

Sunday: Scattered flurries, 5cm. Freezing level 1200m. Winds W-25 km/h gusting to 55 km/h.

Snowpack Summary

The recent storm dropped 40cm snow burying a thin crust from sun and/or rime in exposed terrain. Jan 10 surface hoar resides under the storm snow in sheltered terrain at treeline and below. The spotty Dec 26 surface hoar is down 70-90cm. The Dec 7th surface hoar/crust/facet layer is down 1.5m. Crusts with facets persist at the base of the snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed yesterday. Field team members remotely triggered a size 1 slab on Jan 10 surface hoar at 1900m in the west end of the park. The Lone Pine path glide crack on Mt Tupper released to ground size 3 on Thursday. Wednesday's natural avalanche cycle and avalanche control produced numerous size 3 slides and even a couple size 4.

Confidence

Due to the quality of field observations

Problems

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.

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.