Avalanche forecast

South Rockies

Mar 3, 2019Avalanche Canada
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Archived · expired 8 years ago

Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Cold dry conditions continue. Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, cracking, and recent avalanches.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    Up to 20 cm of new snow and wind has formed wind slabs that may be reactive to human triggering at upper elevations.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–2.5
    A weak layer of surface hoar is buried 40 to 80 cm deep, and is most prominent between 1600 and 1900 m.

Confidence

Moderate - Wind speed and direction is uncertain

Weather Forecast

SUNDAY NIGHT: Clear, light northeast wind, alpine temperatures drop to -28 C.SUNDAY: Sunny, light northeast wind, alpine high temperature near -20 C.MONDAY: Sunny, light northeast wind, alpine high temperature near -13 C.TUESDAY: Sunny with cloudy periods, light southeast wind, alpine high temperatures near -10 C.

Avalanche Summary

A few small wind slab avalanches (size 1) were triggered by skiers on Saturday. On Friday, several small slabs were triggered by humans and explosives (10-30 cm thick). Some small natural wind slab avalanches were also observed.

Snowpack Summary

10-20 cm of recent snow with moderate winds has likely formed wind slabs in exposed terrain. Older wind slabs will be buried under the new snow and may be difficult to detect.A weak layer of facets (sugary snow) and surface hoar (feathery crystals) that was buried in mid-January is down approximately 40-80 cm. This layer is most prominent in the Elk Valley between 1600 m and 1900 m, but it has been found up to 2200 m in some areas. This weak layer may exist in combination with a crust on south-facing slopes. Snowpack tests and avalanche reports suggest that this layer remains reactive to human triggers.The bottom half of the snowpack is composed of weak, sugary facets.

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