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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 16th, 2020–Jan 17th, 2020

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 unlikely, human triggered possible.
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

Jasper.

Uncertainty on how the snowpack will react to the transition back to tolerable temperatures, caution and a dose of dubiety would be prudent before stepping out into big terrain.

Weather Forecast

The arctic air is on the retreat as a series of warm, moist fronts travel inland to the southern forecast region. Warming air aloft will likely trap cold air in the valleys. Light precipitation will occur during the air-mass transition to a SW flow.

Find the Alberta Rockies weather synopsis here: Mountain Weather Forecast

Snowpack Summary

Light snowfall through the region over surface faceting. That faceting morphosis will be more pronounced in shallow HS areas. Upper pack settled and overlays a weakening mid-pack comprised of varied facet forms. This provides some questionable bridging over the basal facets and DH. HS average at TL: ~150cm.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed or reported

Confidence

Wind effect is extremely variable on Friday

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.