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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 21st, 2022–Feb 22nd, 2022

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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

While cold temperatures are helping to improve conditions, be on the lookout for wind slabs in lee areas. 

Weather Forecast

The cold snap will continue Tuesday with alpine temperatures as cold as -30. A warming trend and return to seasonal temps will start Wednesday. The wind will shift to the East and remain in the moderate range Tuesday into Wednesday. Little to no snow is expected for the next 3 days.

Snowpack Summary

30-45 cm of recent storm snow was being redistributed into soft slabs in alpine areas on Monday. The new wind slabs could be overlying older and deeper ones from the previous wind event. The Jan 30th surface hoar/sun crust layer is variable in distribution, is 40-60 cm down and is producing hard sudden planar results in some snowpack tests.

Avalanche Summary

The forecasting team observed 3 loose dry avalanches coming from extreme terrain on Mt. Ogden today. While the powder clouds were impressive, there was little mass in any of the 3 avalanches barely constituting a size 1. Additionally, the forecasting team remote triggered a size 1 wind slab on a moraine feature. See MIN for photo.

Confidence

Due to the number and quality of field observations on Monday

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.

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.