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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 29th, 2020–Jan 30th, 2020

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

Regions

Kananaskis.

Even warmer temps on the way for later in the week. It won't take much for the avalanche scales to tip with respect to weather inputs. Watch for rapid warming, especially if the sun comes out.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Flurries tomorrow with no significant accumulation. Temps will hit -7 as the afternoon high. The winds will be mostly light, but picking up in the late afternoon to 100K+ in the high alpine.

Avalanche Summary

There was a size 2.5 in the alpine last night or early this morning on Mt. Burstall. It was a high, NE facing slope above the French Glacier.

Snowpack Summary

Wind last night caused another round of rapid loading in the alpine and treeline. Things generally look scoured and worked by the wind. We are in need of fresh snow! The new windslabs are concerning as they are poorly bonded for now and stiff in character. The other concern is still the deep layers. 

Terrain and Travel

  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
  • Avoid lee and cross-loaded slopes at and above 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.

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.