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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 6th, 2014–Jan 7th, 2014

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal.

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Tuesday

Weather Forecast

Tuesday: Light snowfall / Moderate southwest winds / Freezing level at 600mWednesday: Moderate to locally heavy snowfall / Moderate to strong southwest winds / Freezing level at 700mThursday: Light snowfall / Moderate to strong southwest winds / Freezing level at 700m

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity reported.

Snowpack Summary

In general the snowpack seems shallower and more faceted in the northern part of the region, and deeper with more wind and storm slab problems in the south. At 1900m on an east aspect in the Shames area the height of snow was 193 cm. Isolated pockets of wind slab were reported due to recent moderate to strong variable winds. A new layer of surface hoar has developed below about 1100 metres. The recent storm snow has settled into about a 25 cm layer that is sitting above several laminated thin melt/freeze crusts. Moderate sudden planar shears were experienced in snowpack tests down about 40 cm in a weak facet layer that is sitting above a melt/freeze crust from Christmas. Deeper early December facetted crystals were found to be rounding and gaining strength in this area.

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.