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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 26th, 2023–Apr 27th, 2023

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

We expect rising hazard throughout the day Thursday due to solar input. Start and end early before this occurs. Starting Friday, we will see 3000-3500m freezing levels and likely a large avalanche cycle.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed or reported in Little Yoho Wednesday.

Snowpack Summary

Thick crusts on all aspects weren't breaking down Wednesday over 2000m. In general, solar aspects are getting moist in the afternoon, creating new crusts daily, and multiple buried crusts are present. On northerly aspects, temperature crusts are present up to 2200 m, with 10-20 cm of preserved surface snow above this elevation. There are basal facets in some thin locations but they have been mainly dormant.

Weather Summary

Around 5cm of snow Wednesday night with freezing levels near valley bottom.

Thursday: Clearing skies and 2500m freezing levels, NW winds 40km. Overnight Thursday freezing levels to valley bottom, but temperatures will be inverted at 2000m with warmer air above.

Friday: NW winds, mainly clear skies. Freezing levels will spike to 3000-3500m.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Avoid thin areas like rock outcroppings where you're most likely to trigger avalanches failing on deep weak layers.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.