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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 7th, 2019–Feb 8th, 2019

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

Regions

Northwest Inland.

Thin new wind slabs are expected to form, just as larger, older ones trend toward stabilizing. Choose a supported line and raise your guard in the immediate lee of wind-exposed features.

Confidence

Moderate - Due to the number of field observations

Weather Forecast

Thursday night: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Light to moderate north winds.Friday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and a trace of new snow. Light to moderate northeast or southeast winds, increasing to strong northeast overnight. Alpine high temperatures around -16.Saturday: Sunny. Moderate northeast winds easing over the day. Alpine high temperatures around -14.Sunday: Sunny. Strong northeast winds easing over the day. Alpine high temperatures around -18.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported in the region.Our most recent observations are from Monday. They showed small (size 1) wind slabs releasing naturally from steep, wind loaded pockets in the Howson range.Numerous avalanches were triggered by skiers and naturally within the recent storm snow on the weekend. Check out this MIN report describing widespread slab activity.

Snowpack Summary

Recent cold temperatures have been transforming surface snow into a lower-density layer of faceted (sugary) grains at all elevations. This faceting process affects the uppermost part of the wind-affected 20 to 40 cm of storm snow we received last weekend. Time and cold temperatures are gradually reducing the cohesion and reactivity of wind slabs that formed in the wake of the storm, however forecast strong winds are expected to transport remaining loose surface snow into thin new slabs in leeward terrain on Friday.This upper layer of faceting storm snow overlies previously wind-affected snow in the high alpine and a widespread melt-freeze crust elsewhere. In the central and northern parts of the region, it may sit on feathery surface hoar crystals in sheltered terrain at all elevations. In the south of the region, the remainder of the snowpack has been reported as well-settled.Around and north of Hazelton, 50 to 100 cm of snow may overlie two weak layers of surface hoar or sugary faceted grains.

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.