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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 22nd, 2014–Feb 23rd, 2014

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

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

Don't get powder hungry and let the improving weather lure you into high risk scenarios. Check out this recent remote triggered size 3 from the Kootenay Boundary.

Confidence

Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Sunday

Weather Forecast

The arctic high off the north coast will continue pushing southward into central BC and bring a cooler, dryer NW flow to the region. Some unstable disturbances are embedded in this flow, bringing scattered cloud and light precipitation on Sunday.Tonight/ Sunday: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Alpine temperatures near -13.0. Light NE ridgetop winds.Monday: Sunny with some cloud. Alpine temperatures near -10.0. Ridgetop winds light from the North.Tuesday: Sunny. Alpine temperatures near -6.0. Ridgetop winds blowing light from the north and freezing levels rising to 800 m.

Avalanche Summary

Natural avalanche activity has begun to taper off; however, we are still receiving several reports of activity up to size 2.5. Explosive control and skier triggering continue to produce significantly large-very-large avalanches up to size 3. Remote triggering and long fracture propagations are occurring on all aspects and elevations. Endless settlements and whumphing experienced while traveling, even on low angle terrain. With forecast sun, the avalanche hazard may increase on solar slopes.Check out the Forcaster Blog! It shows a photo of a remote triggered size 3 from Friday in the southern part of the Kootenay-Boundary.

Snowpack Summary

Moderate SW winds have loaded leeward and cross-loaded exposed slopes. Changing winds from the north may build fresh wind slabs on southerly slopes. There is over a metre of recent storm snow that is sitting on a weak layer that is a mixture of facets, surface hoar, melt-freeze crusts and any combination of these. The weak layer is widespread at all elevations and aspects and continued whumpfing and avalanche activity is reported. The storm slab continues to settle and become more cohesive allowing for longer fracture propagations and remote triggering from up to 200 m away, yikes! This persistent weak layer is expected to be a concern for some time; at all elevations and aspects. Treeline and below treeline is catching a lot of people by surprise.

Problems

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.

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.