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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 19th, 2014–Feb 20th, 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 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 possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

Widespread natural avalanche cycle continues. See blogs for more info.

Confidence

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Thursday

Weather Forecast

Overnight and Thursday: Strong Southwest winds and another 10 cm of snow starting early in the morning. There may be a brief break in the late morning, and then another 10 cm of snow starting in the afternoon with moderate Westerly winds. Freezing level below 1000 metres.Friday: Snow ending early morning as the winds shift to moderate Northwest. Freezing level at valley bottoms.Saturday: Clear overnight becoming mostly cloudy by the afternoon. Alpine temperatures around -15

Avalanche Summary

Widespread natural slab avalanche activity up to size 3.0 on all aspects and elevations. Remote triggering and long fracture propagations continue. Endless settlements and whumphing experienced while traveling on low angle terrain. Low elevation cut-blocks are releasing naturally at the February 10th interface.

Snowpack Summary

There is over a metre of recent storm snow that is sitting on a weak layer that is a mixture of facets, surface hoar, and melt-freeze crusts. The weak layer is widespread at all elevations and aspects. The storm slab continues to settle and become more cohesive allowing for longer fracture propagations and remote triggering. This persistent weak layer is expected to be a concern for some time; at least through the weekend.

Problems

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.