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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 17th, 2014–Jan 18th, 2014

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/scond/Cond_E.asp?oID=15678&oPark=100092

A deep natural and human induced avalanche cycle continues. An increase in avalanches is expected Saturday with warming and increased sun. Watch for overhead hazard. Please avoid all avalanche terrain.

Weather Forecast

A warming trend and increased sunshine on Saturday will likely trigger natural avalanches. Sudden loading of solar avalanches on deep instabilities may trigger large slab avalanches. Forecasted cooling on Sunday is expected to reduce the natural avalanche hazard but human triggered avalanches will still be likely.

Snowpack Summary

Strong winds have created widespread windslabs on lee aspects (N-SE) and stripped all the snow off windward aspects in the alpine and near treeline. It will be take a while for these basal weaknesses to strengthen. Conditions remain prime for human triggering.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche control yesterday on Bourgeau and Vermillion produced several large avalanches up to size 3.5. Impressive propagations up to 500 m and crowns as deep as 2 m. The avalanche cycle continued today with small to large fresh avalanches reported.

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain on Saturday

Problems

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.