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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 6th, 2021–Dec 7th, 2021

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

Regions

South Coast.

Expect to see slab formation in recent snow due to increases in wind and temperature over the day Tuesday. Watch for signs of instability like shooting cracks or recent avalanches. If triggered, slabs will slide easily over the slippery crust.

Confidence

Low - Uncertainty is due to how the snowpack will react to the forecast weather.

Weather Forecast

Monday night: Cloudy. Light to moderate westerly wind. Freezing level climbing to 1000 m.

Tuesday: Flurries around 5 cm. Westerly wind building to strong. Treeline high temperatures around 0. Freezing level 1500 m.

Wednesday: Overnight snow 15-20 cm. Strong southwest wind. Treeline high temperatures around -5. Freezing level 800 m.

Thursday: Isolated flurries. Light to moderate northwest wind. Treeline high temperatures around -5. Freezing level 500 m.

Avalanche Summary

No recent reports.

Snowpack Summary

On Tuesday, rising wind and temperatures influence 10-20 cm of recent snow sitting over a thick, supportive surface crust. A layer of weak, feathery surface hoar crystals was observed growing on the crust prior to the snowfall.

Treeline snow depths in advance of the storm were around 80-100 cm but rain has eroded some of this. Much of treeline and almost all below treeline elevations are still below threshold depths for avalanches.

Terrain and Travel

  • Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.
  • Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.
  • Keep in mind the crust offers an excellent bed surface for avalanches.
  • Even a small avalanche can be harmful if it pushes you into an obstacle or a terrain trap.

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.