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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 5th, 2013–Dec 6th, 2013

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Cold temperatures are the major factor effecting the snowpack today. The snowpack can be characterized as relatively shallow early season conditions with  a deep persistent basal  weakness. JBW

Weather Forecast

Keep your woolies. It will not really warm up until the weekend.

Snowpack Summary

Very cold temperatures mean not much active is happening in the snowpack. The surface and basal layers will continue to facet.

Avalanche Summary

No new activity. A full depth size 2 release on a steep planar NW feature at 2400m on Copper Mtn was observed yesterday. Likely northerly winds and cross loading across this slope with the coming of the arctic front were the trigger.

Confidence

Due to the number and quality of field observations

Problems

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.

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.