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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 2nd, 2013–Feb 3rd, 2013

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

Regions

Purcells.

Confidence

Fair - Due to variable snowpack conditions for the entire period

Weather Forecast

Overnight and Sunday: Cloudy with light Westerly winds overnight becoming strong Northwesterly in the afternoon. No precipitation overnight, 5-10 cms Sunday afternoon. Freezing level dropping to valley bottom overnight and up to about 1000 metres during the day.Monday: Alpine temperatures -7.0 with gusty West winds and light flurries.Tuesday: Winds shifting to Southwest as the next pulse of moisture brings 3-5 cms of snow to elevations above 1200 metres.

Avalanche Summary

Sluffing up to size 1.0 continues to be reported from steep terrain.

Snowpack Summary

Wind slabs continue to be reactive in the alpine and at treeline. The recent storm snow has consolidated into a cohesive slab at treeline and below, above variable weak layers of surface hoar, facets, and sun crust. Expect wind slabs to continue to be reactive.

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.