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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 8th, 2024–Feb 9th, 2024

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

Banff Yoho Kootenay, Little Yoho, Banff, East Side 93N, Kootenay, Lake Louise, LLSA, Sunshine, West Side 93N, Field.

Be mindful of solar inputs on Friday and Saturday. There is potential for small loose wet avalanches out of steeper southerly terrain.

Confidence

High

Snowpack Summary

15-25cm of recent storm snow overlays the Feb 3 temperature crust which is evident on all aspects except north above 2500m. A thin sun-crust exists on the surface on steep south aspects. Moderate shears persist in the midpack down roughly 30 and 50cm on several persistent interfaces. Facets and depth hoar make up the basal layers of the snowpack in most locations.

Weather Summary

A weak upper ridge moves into the forecast area on Friday afternoon resulting in mainly sunny skies, light winds and minimal to no snow through Saturday. Freezing levels will be near valley bottom.

For more mountain weather click HERE.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.