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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 27th, 2015–Mar 28th, 2015

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Lower elevations snowpack has been significantly weakened by high freezing levels and solar heating. The strength of the snowpack hinges on thickness and strength of the crusts formed.  Snow beneath if moist or wet is compromised in its strength.

Weather Forecast

The winds will abate as a cold front passes tonight ushering in cooler air and lower freezing levels along with some light precipitation amounts for Saturday morning. Strong westerly winds at ridge top will continue mid Saturday through the weekend with scattered precipitation.

Snowpack Summary

Sustained moderate to strong winds aloft continued to build wind slabs and cornices at ridge top today. Moist snow to 2400 meters on polar aspects (North) and moist to ridgetop on the solar slopes. Midpack is well settled and overlies largely weak basal depth hoar or facets.

Avalanche Summary

Several natural avalanches occurred today up to size 2.5 around the Sunshine Ski Area back country and some loose wet avalanches up to size 1.0 at the Lake Louise Ski area.  Many loose wet avalanches with some of them triggering slab avalanches in the lower track below tree line. Suspect with today's warm temps that cornices will be very touchy.

Confidence

Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Sunday

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 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.