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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 13th, 2022–Jan 14th, 2022

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

There have been many different weather inputs over the last few days and a couple of very close calls with skier triggered avalanches.

Weather Forecast

A bit of an inversion is setting up for Friday. Temperatures will stay below freezing (-5C to -2C) in the alpine with a mix of sun and cloud, and light to moderate NW winds. Friday night winds will turn west and blow over 100kmh, weakening over the day. The alpine will cool Saturday with temperatures in the -10 to -15C range, and -5C at 2000m.

Snowpack Summary

10-15 settled hst with wind over the past few days has added to windslabs at treeline and above. These overlie facets in many places, producing moderate test results. The Dec. 2 crust and facets are generally 60-90cm deep in the snowpack. Some thin snowpack areas have lingering basal depth hoar and facets.

Avalanche Summary

On Wednesday, a skier remote size 3 was triggered in Kootenay, running full path. It stepped down to the Dec 2 crust and facets. A skier also got caught in an avalanche in the Lake Louise backcountry late Thursday, which appears to have been initiated at treeline. Ski hills were also reporting explosive triggered avalanches to size 2.5.

Confidence

Due to the number and quality of field observations

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.