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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 5th, 2020–Mar 6th, 2020

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

Regions

Glacier.

It's a good time to use caution in the backcountry. We've been spoilt this winter with few concerns from persistent weak layers. This has now changed, with the Feb 22 surface hoar/suncrust layer lurking at a depth that can be triggered by people.

Weather Forecast

Rising temps today with snow arriving tonight.

Today: Mainly cloudy, flurries, Alpine high -5*C, fzl rising to 1600m, light/mod W winds

Tonight: 10-15cm, Alpine high -5*C, mod/gusting strong SW winds

Fri: Cloudy with sunny periods, trace snow, Alpine high -5*C, light/gusting strong W winds, fzl 1300m

Sat: Cloudy, 5cm, Alpine high -9*C, light W winds

Snowpack Summary

Surface windslabs in open terrain features at all elevations. Some alpine bowls have been blasted by the winds while others appear barely touched. Wind effect is variable. Below these slabs, the Feb 22nd persistent weak layer is now buried down 60-70cm, and consists of 3-7mm surface hoar on all aspects up to 2450m, and a crust on solar aspects.

Avalanche Summary

Natural activity died down during the day yesterday after Tues night's spike in natural avalanches. Below tree-line in the Connaught drainage, a skier triggered sz 1, 40cm deep was reported. Just west of the park at an elevation of 2000m, there was a report of a skier-controlled sz 1.5 on surface hoar, down 55-70cm, on terrain as low as 10*.

Confidence

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.

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.