Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 27th, 2024–Jan 28th, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Glacier.

Avalanche hazard may rise quickly with snowfall, warming temps and increasing wind.

Minimize your overhead exposure during periods of heavy snow, and if the surface snow is switching from dry to moist/wet.

Confidence

No Rating

Avalanche Summary

A field team observed a few small loose snow avalanches in steep terrain on Glacier Crest Saturday.

Avalanche control just West of the park produced one size 3 storm slab avalanche in a large Southerly feature on Friday.

We observed isolated naturals in the highway corridor over the last week, triggered by southerly winds at upper elevations, and high freezing levels in valley bottom avalanche paths.

Snowpack Summary

New snow, warm temperatures and wind at upper elevations continues to build storm slabs.

A sun crust (Jan 3), down 50-70cm, can be found at and below Tree-line on S-SW aspects, and has been a failure plane for a few recent human triggered avalanches.

The Dec 1 surface hoar layer is down ~110cm and is decomposing.

Weather Summary

A frontal system impacts the interior early Sunday, bringing rising freezing levels, moderate snowfall and SW wind.

Tonight: Snow (10cm), Alpine low -2°C. Moderate SW ridgetop winds. Freezing level (FZL) 1700m

Sunday: Scattered flurries (5cm). Alpine High 0°C. Mod-strong SW winds. (FZL) 2000m

Mon: Isolated wet flurries. Low 0°C, High 4°C. FZL 3000m.

Tues: Isolated flurries. Low -5°C, High 5°C. FZL 2500m.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Minimize exposure during periods of heavy loading from new snow and wind.
  • The more the snowpack warms-up and weakens, the more conservative you`ll want to be with your terrain selection.

Problems

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.

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.