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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 14th, 2024–Jan 15th, 2024

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

Glacier.

Well, it ain't as cold as Saskatchewan, so what's the big deal?!

Do be certain to have plenty of extra clothing layers in your pack. A broken piece of you or a snapped piece of gear could delay your return to warmth in the valley. Are you prepared?

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Natural activity during the cold snap has been limited to small loose/dry and isolated soft wind slabs in Rogers Pass.

A size 1.5 slab avalanche was observed Friday, from the South facing slope between Grizzly and Little Sifton.

Thurs morning, a natural size 3 slab avalanche ran full path in Crossover (Mt Macdonald), stopping in the creek at valley bottom.

Snowpack Summary

Moderate winds (S/SW switching to N/NE) have redistributed 40-50cms of recent storm snow. This sits on: a sun crust on solar aspects; firm wind effect in the alpine; and soft facetted snow on sheltered N aspects.

Below 2100m there is a crust down 70-80cm (from Dec 5th/6th).

The Dec 1 surface hoar layer is down 90-120cm and is decomposing. However, it is still reactive in isolated snowpack tests.

Weather Summary

Cold, clear, (thankfully) windless days. Temps will moderate by mid-week.

Tonight: Clear, Alp low -22°C, light E wind.

Mon: Mix of sun/cloud, Alp Low high -14°C, light SW wind.

Tues: Flurries (5-10cm), Alp high -13°C, light W wind.

Wed: Scattered flurries (5-10cm), Alp high -13°C, light E wind.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't formed a slab.

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 Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.