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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 13th, 2021–Jan 14th, 2021

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

Banff Yoho Kootenay.

An avalanche cycle occurred on Wednesday with up to 40 cm of new snow, warm temperatures and strong west winds. Drier weather over the next few days will help things stabilize, but choose conservative terrain to asses the bond of the new snow.

Weather Forecast

Drier conditions over the next few days as a ridge builds. Temperatures will cool with lows near -10 to -15. Winds will switch to NW and decrease, but remain in the moderate range at the mountain top level.

Snowpack Summary

15-40 cm of warm snow over the last 24 hours with strong west winds has created touchy windslabs in exposed locations and storm slabs in sheltered areas. This sits on three persistent weak layers from Dec down 30-100 cm that are likely more reactive than before. The Nov. 5 basal crust/facets may also be more sensitive in thin snowpack areas.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanches to size 2.5 in the Field area including on Pilsner Pillar and the approach to Twisted and Silk Tassel. Ski hills reporting touchy storm slabs up to 50 cm deep in lee areas and still reactive but thinner in non wind affected areas. The bowl above Cascade falls ran naturally to size 3 at some point recently but already appears blown in.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

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.

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.