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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 4th, 2019–Dec 5th, 2019

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

Regions

Purcells.

Wind has redistributed fresh snow. Expect to find reactive pockets around ridges and lee features, especially in areas that accumulated more than 15 cm new snow.

Confidence

Moderate - Recent weather patterns have resulted in a high degree of snowpack variability within the region.

Weather Forecast

Wednesday night: Cloudy with clear periods. Alpine temperature -10 C, southwest wind 10-25 km/hr.

Thursday: Mix of sun and cloud and isolated flurries, trace to 5 cm. Alpine temperature -6 C, west wind 10-25 km/hr.

Friday: Flurries, trace to 10 cm. Alpine temperature -4 C, south-southwest wind 10-25 km/h.

Saturday: Scattered flurries, trace to 15 cm. Alpine temperature -6, west wind 15-25 km/hr.

Avalanche Summary

Several small loose and dry, natural avalanches were observed from steep NW aspects in the alpine and treeline around Kicking Horse area on Tuesday. Similar observations we reported on Wednesday.

Snowpack Summary

10-20 cm of new snow accumulated in the north with smaller amounts around Panorama and south. Westerly winds have redistributed new snow into lee features and cross-loaded terrain. The new snow has covered surface hoar in sheltered areas and may not bond well with the old surface.

Prior to the new snow, cold temperatures faceted the upper snowpack, a layer of 15-40 cm of wind-affected snow. This old, wind-affected snow sits over a crust on solar aspects in the alpine and a surface hoar/crust combination around treeline.

Further down, several early season crusts are found in a highly variable snowpack across the region, with depths ranging from 10-110 cm. Expect to find weak facets (sugary, cohesion-less snow) in thin, shallow areas, around rocks, and at the bottom of the snowpack.

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.