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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 8th, 2016–Jan 11th, 2016

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

Regions

Waterton Lakes.

The new snow is unlikely to bond well to previous surfaces, watch for touchy windslab development as the winds increase into the weekend.

Weather Forecast

A ridge of high pressure building over our area will give mainly stable conditions through the weekend. Traces of new snow are forecast for Saturday night. Temperatures are remaining seasonably cool (as low as -18 overnight and daytime highs around -5). Winds are forecast to be moderate to strong from the West on both Saturday and Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 5cm of new snow is not likely to bond well to previous surfaces; a thin weak suncrust on solar aspects, old unreactive windslab in exposed areas, surface hoar up to 5mm in size in sheltered locations and surfaces facets in shaded areas below treeline. A surface hoar layer down 40-60cm is most prevalent at treeline and continues to strengthen.

Avalanche Summary

There has been no recent avalanche activity observed or reported.

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.