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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 30th, 2021–Mar 31st, 2021

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Warm temperatures are forecast for Wednesday and Thursday. The effects will be strongest on steep, rocky solar terrain in the front ranges east of the divide. Start and finish your trips early if you plan to be in this type of terrain

Weather Forecast

A ridge will keep skies clear on Wed. Temps will be warm with ~ 2000m freezing levels, but alpine winds will be strong. The sun's affect will be strongest on steep solar, rocky aspects and the warming looks most significant in the front ranges east of the divide. Thurs looks similar but with skies clouding over and snow starting in the afternoon.

Snowpack Summary

15-35cm of snow fell on Sunday night, with the most around Sunshine and Bow Summit. Wind slabs exist in alpine and exposed treeline areas from strong winds during the storm. The March 19 interface of crust on solar aspects and facets on north aspects is below this, now down 20-50 cm. Basal facets exist in shallow areas east of the divide.

Avalanche Summary

Good visibility into the alpine today revealed evidence of the avalanche cycle that occurred with Sunday nights storm. Themes seemed to be alpine and treeline features failing as windslabs up to size 2.5. There was a third hand report of a small, potentially skier triggered windslab in the Bow Summit area today, but no other details were obtained.

Confidence

Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Wednesday

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.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.