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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 11th, 2017–Feb 12th, 2017

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

Human triggered avalanches will be likely on Sunday, and the possibility of very large natural avalanches remains possible. Stay on conservative terrain and avoid overhead exposure while the snowpack adjusts to the new load.

Weather Forecast

A strong Westerly flow will continue on Sunday with only trace amounts of new snow and alpine temperatures into the -10C range. A slow warming trend is currently forecast into next week with temperatures reaching close to 0C in the alpine.

Snowpack Summary

40-60 cm of new snow over the past week with extreme SW winds have created new snow slabs over various layers of weaker facets, surface hoar, and buried wind layers. In below treeline areas, this new snow load is sitting on a snowpack entirely made up of facets and depth hoar.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous natural and explosive triggered avalanches were observed and reported throughout the forecast region up to size 3 in the last 48hrs. These have been occurring on many different aspects and at all elevation bands. Most are between 40-60cm in depth, with some "stepping" down to the deeper weak layers.

Confidence

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.

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.