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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Nov 17th, 2020–Nov 18th, 2020

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Avalanche control will be conducted in the Simpson Avalanche Paths on Wednesday Nov. 18th.  No access to this area on that day.

Weather Forecast

Tuesday was warm and windy, but temperatures will cool and winds will decrease Wednesday - Friday. Forecasts are calling for 5-20 cm overnight Tuesday with higher amounts to the north. Winds will decrease but remain in the moderate to strong range at 3000m from the SW. Another pulse of precip is forecast for Wednesday evening.

Snowpack Summary

20-40 cm of settled snow overlies the Nov 5th crust with the higher amounts around Sunshine. Windslabs exist in alpine and at treeline. The crust is 1-10 cm thick and generally thickest around Sunshine. It extends up to 2400m on polar aspects and slightly higher around Sunshine and on solar aspects. Total snow depths at treeline are 50-100 cm

Avalanche Summary

A size 2 natural out of the "Goat's Eye" feature near Sunshine ran ~ 300m on a NW aspect. Otherwise, local ski hills generally triggering small soft windslabs within the overnight storm snow. Small sluffs were noted out of steep rocky terrain on a field trip in "Guiness Gully" as temperatures warmed on Tuesday.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

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.