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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 5th, 2020–Mar 6th, 2020

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Continue to expect natural avalanches with ongoing strong SW winds and snow forecasted.

Weather Forecast

For Friday - 5- 15 cm is forecasted with highs -4C and strong SW winds that will diminish over Friday afternoon. Temperatures will fall to -5 to -10C. Another 5- 10 cm expected Saturday with light to moderate wind. The avalanche hazard is expected to remain elevated with these continued inputs.

Snowpack Summary

Approximately 60 cm has fallen in the past week with strong to extreme Westerly winds creating widespread wind slabs. Watch for buried sun crust on steep solar aspects. In thin snow pack areas a dense mid-pack sits over a weak, faceted base. Isolated locations below 1900 m, the Feb 1 crust down may be starting to become reactive.

Avalanche Summary

Local ski hills report ski cutting & explosive controlled wind slabs 15-30 cm thick. One size 2.5 deep persistent release on an alpine solar aspect with explosives & a skier triggered slab on the Feb 1 crust near Sunshine (1700 m).

Several natural storm slabs up to sz 2.5 observed along highway 93S yesterday where intense wind loading was occurring.

Confidence

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.