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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 19th, 2021–Feb 20th, 2021

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

The incoming storm will increase the avalanche hazard over the next few days.

Weather Forecast

Temperature will gradually warm up through the weekend with freezing levels reaching 1500m by Monday. Light snow begging Saturday, the intensity will increasing through Sunday, Monday with total accumulation values of up to 40cm. This new snow will be associated with strong to extreme Westerly winds.

Snowpack Summary

Extensive wind effect and isolated, thin wind-slabs throughout the alpine. At tree-line and below the snowpack is well settled except the surface snow which is facetted and sluffs in steep terrain. A facet and sun crust layer buried Jan 27 persists at treeline down 30-40 cm.

Avalanche Summary

No new natural avalanches observed or reported today. Thursday, Sunshine ski patrol triggered a very large cornice that initiated a size 2.5 persistent slab. General local ski hills continue to initiate small wind slabs to size 1 with ski cuts and explosive.

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.