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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 13th, 2012–Dec 14th, 2012

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

South Rockies.

Confidence

Fair - Intensity of incoming weather is uncertain on Saturday

Weather Forecast

Friday: Moderate NW winds. Alpine temp -8. Very light snow.Saturday: Strong SW winds. Alpine temp -7. Light snow. Sunday: Light SW winds. Alpine temp -12. Light snow.

Avalanche Summary

There have been no avalanches reported in the last couple of days.

Snowpack Summary

Wind slabs exist on slopes lee to the west. Below these surface layers, the snowpack is reported to be generally well-settled. Snowpack depth is below threshold for avalanches below about 1400 m (or as high as 1800 m on some slopes). Cornices have grown large in some areas.We are still watching a few layers, but recent snowpack tests have suggested that these are generally fairly well bonded. There is a buried rain crust in the upper snowpack which fizzles out at about 1800 m. A localized layer of surface hoar buried about 1 m down may still exist in sheltered pockets. At the base of the snowpack, a variable early November crust/facet layer exists. Any of these layers could become reactive with heavy loading, or if triggered from a thin snowpack area.

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.