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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 27th, 2021–Jan 28th, 2021

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

Regions

Lizard-Flathead.

Where winds reach more than 20 km/h and impact loose snow, fresh wind slabs are likely to form in alpine lee terrain features.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the speed, direction, or duration of the wind and its effect on the snowpack.

Weather Forecast

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with isolated flurries, trace to 3 cm of new snow, moderate southwest wind at treeline and strong in the alpine, treeline temperatures around -8 C.

THURSDAY: Mainly sunny with cloudy periods and scattered flurries, trace to 2 cm new snow, light to moderate southwest wind, treeline temperatures around -5 C.

FRIDAY: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries, trace of new snow, light southwest wind, treeline temperatures around -6 C.

SATURDAY: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries, trace to 2 cm new snow, light southwest wind, treeline temperatures around -8 C.

Avalanche Summary

Loose dry avalanches (sluffs) in steep alpine and treeline features were reported on Monday. 

Snowpack Summary

Up to 25 cm recent low density snow that has buried surface hoar and other old surfaces. In the alpine, new snow sits on top of layers of hard wind slab, scoured areas, sastrugi and isolated pockets of soft snow. A hard crust is found up to 1700 m.    

A solid mid-pack sits above a deeply buried crust and facet layers near the bottom of the snowpack (150-200 cm deep), which are currently unreactive. 

Terrain and Travel

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Be carefull with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

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.