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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Nov 23rd, 2021–Nov 24th, 2021

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

We haven't done a field trip to Little Yoho yet this year, but a report from the Emerald Lake Slide Path sounded like the Nov. 15th rain crust is near the surface and exists to ~ 17-1800m elevation in this area.

Weather Forecast

Winds will increase to moderate to strong from the W / SW on Wednesday with only a few cm's of new snow forecasted. On Thursday and Friday, we should see anywhere from 5-20 cm of new snow with strong SW winds. Temperatures will stay cool until Friday when freezing levels are forecast to rise to ~ 1700m.

Snowpack Summary

5-15 cm of fresh snow Monday overnight sits on a variety of surfaces: a rain crust below ~2000m , a sun crust on steep solar aspects, windslabs in the alpine and exposed treeline areas and settled snow everywhere else. Melt/freeze crusts and/or facets lurk at the bottom of the snowpack. Snowpack depths at tree-line average 60-110 cm

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches observed on a field trip in the Dolomite Shoulder area on Tuesday or reported to us by local ski hills.

Confidence

Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system 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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.