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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 10th, 2014–Apr 11th, 2014

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Avalanche conditions can change quickly this time of year. Today was cool and windy, but on Tuesday a large avalanche blew over Cascade Waterfall.  Spring conditions are unique, and can be hard to forecast. Click here to read how we are handling it.

Weather Forecast

Westerly flow with strong winds forecast over the next few days. Expect a mix of sun and clouds for Friday with freezing levels reaching 1900 meters. Temperatures are forecast to remain below freezing (-3 to -7) range but expect lots of heat in sheltered south facing locations. No new snow in the immediate weather forecast.

Snowpack Summary

Cooler temperatures and wind should keep the surface of the snowpack cool on Friday, although low elevation south facing terrain will heating up. This time of year we are mainly concerned with shallow snowpack areas (<200cm), where avalanches may fail on deep facetted layers. Areas with snowpack depths >250 cm are generally strong and stable.

Avalanche Summary

Sunshine reported one size 2 cornice failure that landed on the slope below and did not trigger a slab - NE aspect. Otherwise no new avalanches reported or observed.

Confidence

Problems

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.

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.

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.