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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 13th, 2020–Jan 14th, 2020

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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Glacier.

The temps are frigid and the days are short. Skiing conservatively and leaving plenty of time to get out of the backcountry safely is wise.

Weather Forecast

The cold weather has arrived.  Mostly sunny skies today will give way to some cloud and isolated flurries tomorrow.  Daytime highs at treeline will remain below -23 for the next couple of days.  Winds are forecast to be light.  Sunset time is 16:11.

Snowpack Summary

Light to moderate winds have switched from NE to S over the past 24hrs, and have likely built fresh windslabs in immediate lees. Recent snowfall has settled to around 80cm over the Dec 27th surface hoar or crust depending on aspect and elevation. The mid and lower snowpack are generally well settled and strong.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity was reported or observed on Sunday.

Saturday a skier triggered two small-large slab avalanches on the Dec. 27th surface hoar layer in the MacDonald gully #1 (North aspect at Treeline). A skier also triggered a small avalanche on a South aspect at treeline in Connaught (likely on a crust within the storm snow).

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable

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.