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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 3rd, 2020–Mar 4th, 2020

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

More snow and wind will heighten the avalanche danger in the region. Avoid travel in wind loaded areas and limit your exposure to overhead hazard.

Large avalanches at upper elevations can reach terrain below tree line.

Weather Forecast

Forecasted snow for Tuesday night varies from 5-30cm through the region. This pulse of snow will be accompanied by strong Westerly winds. The snow will end midday Wednesday with a short lived clearing trend Thursday. Another system will move into the region late Thursday with more snow on the way.

Snowpack Summary

20-30cm of new snow and Strong to Extreme SW continue to form wind slab at tree line and above. Watch for buried sun crust on steep solar aspects. In thin snow pack areas a dense mid-pack sits over a weak, faceted base. Thick snowpack areas have a denser base with few weaknesses.

Avalanche Summary

No new natural avalanches observed Tuesday. Ski hills reported continued wind slab development at alpine and tree line elevations. Explosive control produced avalanches to size 1 on this new wind slab. With more snow and wind forecasted Tuesday night we will likely see continued slab development at upper elevations.

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.

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.