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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 28th, 2024–Jan 29th, 2024

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 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

Lizard.

Limit your exposure to avalanche terrain as temperatures continue to rise.

If the sun comes out the upper snowpack will quickly lose strength.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several wet slab (size 1 to 2) avalanches near treeline were reported nearby Fernie on Sunday.

Small and large (size 2) storm slab avalanches have continued to occur this week near Fernie, both naturally and with explosives, as recently as Saturday.

Snowpack Summary

Expect surface snow to continue to get wet as temperatures rise and the sun comes out.

Roughly 40 to 50 cm of snow from the past week sits over various old surfaces. In some areas, it is slow to bond due to sugary facets.

Near the bottom of the snowpack, there are a series of crusts and facets that are more prominent in shallow areas.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow or rain, west alpine wind 40 to 60 km/h, treeline temperature 2 °C, freezing level 2500 m.

Monday

A mix of sun and cloud with a trace of snow or rain, southwest alpine wind 30 to 40 km/h, treeline temperature 5 °C, freezing level 3200 m.

Tuesday

A mix of sun and cloud with no snow, southwest alpine wind 35 to 55 km/h, treeline temperature 4 °C, freezing level dropping to 2250 m.

Wednesday

Mostly clear skies with no snow, southwest alpine wind 30 to 40 km/h, treeline temperature 6 °C, freezing level dropping to 2750 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Keep in mind that wet avalanches can be destructive due to their high density.
  • Large cornice falls are dangerous on their own.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.

Problems

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.