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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 7th, 2025–Jan 8th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
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

Banff Yoho Kootenay, Banff, East Side 93N, Kootenay, Lake Louise, LLSA, Sunshine, West Side 93N, Field.

Conditions are changing in the alpine, as strong winds out of the SW scour snow from some areas and deposit windslab in others. Pay attention to the texture of the surface snow and avoid steep terrain with wind effect. Ice climbers: gully avalanches may run further than expected given the dry, sugary snow in all the avalanche paths.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Only small (size 1) windslabs and dry loose (sluffs) were observed today, but lots of blowing snow and spindrift was circulating. No significant avalanches were observed or reported.

Snowpack Summary

Building west winds have blown the surface snow into the lee side of ridge crests and cross-loaded gully features, but slab formation has been limited due to the dry, faceted nature of the blowing snow. Because the middle and base of the snowpack is generally weak, avalanches triggered as a windslab could easily "step down" and release near the ground making for a larger avalanche. An average of 60-100cm of snow can be found at treeline elevations, which is thin.

Weather Summary

The wind has finally arrived and will continue to blow strong (60-80 km/hr) from the SW until mid-day on Wednesday when it should taper. Expect just a few centimeters of new snow on Wednesday morning, and temperatures will remain cool, from -5 to -12. Overall an unstable few days ahead with wind as the dominant feature and small amounts of new snow expected.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid thin areas like rocky outcrops where you're most likely to trigger avalanches on deep weak layers.
  • Pay attention to the wind; once it starts to blow, sensitive wind slabs are likely to form.

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.