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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 7th, 2020–Feb 8th, 2020

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

Regions

Glacier.

Human triggered avalanches are possible today, heads up as you transition into open terrain at Treeline.

Weather Forecast

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries today, light winds from the West. Daytime high will be -8 C at treeline.

Light snow tonight into tomorrow morning, with accumulations of up to 10cm. Ridge winds will be light, gusting moderate, from the South. Treeline temperatures remain around -8 C overnight, and will cool into Saturday evening.

Snowpack Summary

Continued moderate-strong winds have been producing soft slabs on immediate lees, and cross-loaded features in the alpine and exposed areas of TL. We have received 30+cm of low-density new snow at treeline and above since the atmospheric river event last weekend. Expect dust on crust and rugged travel on all but smooth slopes at lower elevations.

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday a cornice fall triggered a large slab avalanche (size 2.5) on the North face of Cheops; explosive testing at treeline produced small-large (size 1-2) slab avalanches in the Fidelity snow study area; and neighboring operations reported skier triggering of small-large windslabs in exposed treeline and alpine terrain.

Confidence

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.