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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 13th, 2020–Feb 14th, 2020

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

Hazard is improving, but forecasters still have concern for larger  isolated avalanches. It is still a good idea to avoid  big features and unsupported terrain.

Weather Forecast

Mixed sun and cloud with isolated flurries along the divide for Friday. Winds forecast to be moderate from the SW and freezing levels will remain around 1400 m. Some weather models predicting 10-20 cm of new snow by end of weekend.

Snowpack Summary

5-10 cm of dry snow over the past 48-hours sits over top of a well settled mid-pack. The lower snowpack consists of weaker facets (particularly in shallower snowpack areas) that are producing moderate shears with snowpack tests. Isolated wind slabs exist near ridge tops and lee terrain in the alpine.

Avalanche Summary

No natural activity observed. The ski-hills reported small wind-slabs in the alpine that were reactive to ski-cutting. Lake Louise ski hill reported an-out-of-bounds skier triggering a size one wind slab in the Lipallian area.

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.

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.