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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 15th, 2024–Dec 16th, 2024

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

Regions

Glacier.

New snow and strong SW wind has created wind slabs on all aspects in the alpine. Wind slabs can also be found in lee terrain at tree line.

Ski quality is excellent in terrain that is sheltered from the wind.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several avalanches ranging from size 1-3 observed in the highway corridor on a road patrol today.

These were likely initiated by wind loading on Saturday and Sunday evening.

Snowpack Summary

~20cm of recent storm snow combined with moderate to strong Southwest wind has created wind slabs.

A persistent weak layer remains down 50-70cmcm. This interface consists of surface hoar in sheltered locations, a sun crust on solar aspects, and continues to produce moderate-hard sudden results in test profiles.

The base of the snowpack is comprised of several dense, melt-freeze rain crusts formed in October/early November.

Weather Summary

Weakening low pressure system early this week before a significant storm arrives on Wed.

Tonight Trace precipitation. Wind SW 15km/h

Mon Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Trace precipitation. Alpine high -9 °C. Ridge wind SE 10. Freezing level (FZL) 700m.

Tues Cloudy with sunny periods & isolated flurries. Trace precipitation. Wind SW 15. FZL 900m.

Wed Snow! ~24 cm. Alpine high -3. Wind SW 25-45. FZL 1500m

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

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.