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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 3rd, 2015–Feb 4th, 2015

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Excellent ski quality today in the Emerald lake area. Take advantage of the great conditions but be wary if the winds pick up as the danger will rise rapidly once a slab forms.

Weather Forecast

Light north winds and cold temperatures overnight (-20's). Wednesday looks clear with alpine winds increasing to moderate from the west. The next system will be coming in mid-day on Thursday and we should see 30-50 cm with rising freezing levels to 1800m and increased winds from the SW.

Snowpack Summary

40 cm of low density storm snow has fallen at 2500 m over the last few days, with minimal to no wind effect. 20 cm in the valley bottom. This new snow sits upon a melt-freeze crust until 2200 m. Shears exist within the new snow, and there is a tremendous amount of new snow available to blow into windslabs. So far the wind has been light . . .

Avalanche Summary

Multiple large loose dry avalanches out of steep terrain occurred overnight in the Emerald Lake area. These started as sluffs and gathered mass, running quite far. A large natural occurred on Mt. Stephen sometime in the last 24 hours. All of these were likely caused by localized wind loading in the area overnight.

Confidence

Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Thursday

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.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.