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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 24th, 2019–Dec 25th, 2019

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

http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/links/goto_e.asp?destination=http://www.avalanche.ca/spaw/2019-12-23spaw

Controlling the urge to ski the fresh powder on big features will be the most important factor to avoiding an avalanche incident. Stick to lower angled slopes with little overhead hazard. There have been a few close calls already.

Weather Forecast

Temperatures will stay cool Wednesday and Thursday with lows in the -15 to -20C range. Light winds and mainly clear skies for the next 2 days.

Snowpack Summary

30-60cm of settled storm snow has formed storm slabs all elevations and aspects. Below the new snow the snowpack structure is generally weak, consisting of facets and depth hoar and a Nov crust up to 2500m. These weak layers are getting overloaded with all of the new snow.

Avalanche Summary

Natural avalanche activity to size 3 on all aspects and elevations has slowed from a few days ago. Explosive control today continued to produce large avalanches to size 3 running full path. A skier triggered a sz. 1.5 in West Bowl outside Lake Louise ski resort yesterday, and today a group triggered a sz. 2.5 in the same spot which went to ground..

Confidence

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.