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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 15th, 2013–Dec 16th, 2013

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

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

Confidence

Fair - Wind speed and direction is uncertain on Monday

Weather Forecast

Monday: Light snowfall / Moderate westerly winds (with extreme gusts) / Freezing level at 800mTuesday: Light snowfall / Moderate southwesterly winds (with extreme gusts) / Freezing level at 800mWednesday: Possible clearing / Light winds / Freezing level at 700m

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches have been reported in the last few days.

Snowpack Summary

In general, snowpack depths are below seasonal average any many slopes below treeline are reported to be below threshold for avalanche activity. Deeper snowpacks may exist to the north of the region.Dribs and drabs of recent snowfall overlie weak faceted crystals, small surface hoar or older hard windslabs in exposed high elevation terrain. These modest accumulations may have been shifted into small pockets of windslab in areas where winds have been stronger.Between 35 and 50cm below the surface you may find a weak layer of surface hoar on sheltered slopes and a melt-freeze crust on steep solar aspects. Most reports indicate this layer is "stubborn" to trigger, or there may not be a deep enough overlying slab to create a significant hazard. That said, I'd remain curious about this interface, especially as the snow load increases.There are reports of a deeply buried early season crust which may have associated facets. This layer is more likely to be found in the high alpine on northerly aspects. Little is known about its reactivity in this region.

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.

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.