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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 28th, 2024–Jan 29th, 2024

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

Regions

Glacier.

With elevated temperatures comes rising danger levels. Warmth has mushed and smooshed the snow surface into sticky, sloppy mashed potatoes.

While the heat messes with our snowpack, it is best to choose conservative objectives. I might suggest checking out the local groomed options at a ski hill!

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

A very productive natural avalanche cycle Sunday morning saw numerous highway-facing paths with new avalanches from sz 2 to 4, failing in the storm snow and digging/gouging into deeper faceted layers at lower elevations.

In the backcountry, numerous pinwheeling and wet/loose avalanches to sz 2.5 were observed at Tree-line and below, gouging deep into the slope in confined gullies.

Anything over 35° with an artificial trigger (human) was avalanching today.

Snowpack Summary

Warmth, new snow, and wind have created widespread 20-40cm storm slabs. Currently these slabs are reactive at all elevations.

A sun crust (Jan 3), down 60-80cm, can be found at and below Tree-line on S-SW aspects. Today's avalanche cycle saw storm slabs stepping down onto this layer.

The Dec 1 surface hoar layer is down ~120cm and is decomposing.

Weather Summary

A SW flow from the Pacific is bringing WARM temps, winds, and minor amounts of moisture.

Tonight: clouds with flurries, Alpine low 0°C. Moderate SW ridgetop winds. Freezing level (FZL) 1900m

Mon: Scattered showers. High 4°C. Mod/strong S winds. FZL 3100m.

Tues: Flurries. 5cm. High 2°C. Gusty mod/strong S winds. FZL 3000m.

Wed: Sun and cloud. High 4°C. Mod gusty S winds. FZL 2700m.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • The more the snowpack warms-up and weakens, the more conservative you`ll want to be with your terrain selection.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.