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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 17th, 2013–Apr 18th, 2013

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Expect some light flurries the next few days with light wind.  The new snow may hide the underlying thin slab condition. (LP)

Weather Forecast

Light flurries with light SW wind expected for the next 3 days.  Freezing levels will rise to 1800 m and then drop down again on Saturday night.

Snowpack Summary

In the alpine last weeks storm snow is settling and bonding to crusts on solar aspects and to faceted snow on north and east aspects. Isolated thin wind slabs can be expected in the high alpine. Temperatures stayed cool today and the crusts below tree-line stayed supportive well into the afternoon.

Avalanche Summary

Some avalanche observations from ACMG Ski Guide Exam today:  on Vermillion Peak (KNP) a size 2 loose avalanche on an East aspect and a size 2 slab (~30 cm thick) on a North aspect, cross-loaded feature, click here for photo.  Yesterday, they were able to ski cut thin size 1 hard slabs on West aspects in the high alpine on Cathedral (YNP). 

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

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.