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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 8th, 2025–Jan 9th, 2025

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

Regions

South Rockies, Akamina, Bull, Crowsnest North, Crowsnest South, Elkford East, Elkford West.

Assess for wind slab before committing to steep lines.

Westerly wind may have formed wind slabs at higher elevations.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Tuesday, a few natural size 1.5 wind slab avalanches were reported on southeast alpine slopes. See MIN for details!

If you head out in the backcountry, let us know what you are seeing by submitting a MIN report.

Snowpack Summary

Moderate west winds may form new wind slabs on lee slopes at upper elevations. On solar aspects, a thin melt-freeze crust can be found on the surface.

At treeline and below a layer of facets over a crust, from early December, can be found down 40 to 70 cm.

The lower snowpack is generally well-settled.

Treeline snowpack depth varies significantly across the region, from 50 to over 150 cm.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Mix of cloud and clear sky. 20 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -14 °C.

Thursday

Mix of sun and cloud. 30 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Friday

Mostly cloudy with trace amounts of snow possible. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Saturday

Mix of sun and cloud with trace amounts of snow possible. 10 to 25 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.

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.