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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 28th, 2021–Mar 29th, 2021

Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
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.

Regions

Glacier.

The storm is here!

Avoid overhead hazard today, natural avalanches have already been running well into run out zones.

Weather Forecast

A cold front passes our area today, temps cool significantly in its wake.

Today: 15-20cm of snow. Alpine High -3 C. Ridgetop wind mod-extreme SW. Freezing level (Fzl) 1600m

Tonight: Flurries (5cm). Low -14. Moderate SW wind.

Monday: Sun and cloud mix. High -12. Moderate W wind. Fzl valley bottom.

Tuesday: Isolated flurries. Low -14, High -7. Fzl 1100m

Snowpack Summary

Ongoing snowfall and wind (up to 35cm in the past 48hr) has created reactive slabs, and added significant growth to cornices. Snowfall totals of up to 75cm over the March 18th interface (this has been reactive just West of the park, on sheltered North aspects where it is surface hoar). The mid and lower snowpack is settled and strong.

Avalanche Summary

Several large (up to size 3.0) natural avalanches have occurred in the highway corridor overnight from all aspects.

On Saturday a field team triggered a small (size 1.5) windslab in a northerly lee at Treeline.

A couple of natural cornice falls were observed on Saturday, one triggered a slab producing a large avalanche that ran to valley bottom.

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.

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.

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.