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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 5th, 2021–Mar 6th, 2021

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
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 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

Glacier.

This is the second consecutive day of warm temperatures. Hazard will increase on at all elevations if the sun comes out, especially on steep solar aspects.

Weather Forecast

Mainly cloudy with sunny periods today. Freezing levels remain high for the second day in a row, climbing to 2200m with an alpine high of 0 C. Ridge wind south 25km/h gusting to 70km/h. A cold front arrives tonight bringing cooler temperatures (alpine low -8.0) and 13cm of new snow. Saturday marks the start of a relatively cold and dry period.

Snowpack Summary

Yesterday above freezing temperatures climbed to 2200m creating moist surface snow. A weak overnight refreeze created a thin crust on solar exposures in the alpine and all aspects below treeline. Wind slabs exist near ridges, and low density powder remains on high noth aspects. The February facet/ crust persistent weak layer is down 80-120cm.

Avalanche Summary

Warm temperatures created an isolated natural avalanche cycle yesterday with 1 size 3.0 and 2 size 2.5 observed in the highway corridor. Several loose snow point release avalanches were observed on steep, rocky, solar exposed slopes. A size 3.0 icefall-triggered avalanche was reported on the east face of Mt Sir Donald.

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

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.