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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 15th, 2025–Jan 16th, 2025

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

Regions

Purcells, Dogtooth, East Purcell, West Purcell.

Wind slab releases remain a concern in the alpine, continue to assess as you travel. Steep, rocky, shallow terrain are the most likely trigger areas for the persistent weak layer.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Wind slab avalanche activity continues to be reported in the region. Reports have identified them to be more reactive where they overlie a surface hoar layer. Check out this MIN for more information on wind slab activity in the Jumbo Pass area.

Snowpack Summary

Roughly 2 to 4 cm of new snow has buried various surfaces of sun-crust, surface hoar, and wind-affected snow. Wind slabs can still be found in lee features over a surface hoar layer.

A weak layer of facets buried in early December is on average 60 to 90 cm deep. In the shallower eastern parts of the Purcells, this layer is closer to 30 cm deep. This layer continues to cause occasional large avalanches.

The snowpack base consists of a thick crust and facets in many areas.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Thursday

Partly cloudy. Isolated flurries, 2 to 4 cm. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.

Friday

Partly cloudy. Isolated flurries,2 to 4 cm. 10 to 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -11 °C.

Saturday

Mix of sun and cloud. 10 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -16 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • Pay attention to isolated wind affected features in the alpine, as well as cross-loaded features at treeline.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.