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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 22nd, 2021–Jan 23rd, 2021

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

South Coast Inland.

It is generally a good travel habit to minimize exposure to slopes with cornices overhead and stay well back of them when travelling on ridges. And it's an especially good idea on days like Saturday, when cornices are big and solar radiation is strong.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Friday night: Clear, light wind, alpine temperature -8.

Saturday: Sunny, light to moderate wind, alpine high -8.

Sunday: Flurries, up to 5 cm, light wind, alpine high -9.

Monday: Flurries, up to 5 cm, light wind, alpine high -11.

Avalanche Summary

No new reports in the last couple of days. Earlier in the week, reports from the northern part of the region included a natural wind slab avalanche size 1.5 at treeline and a few cornice falls up to size 2. Some of the cornice falls triggered wind slab avalanches up to size 2 in the slopes below. None of these large loads triggered deep persistent layers.

Snowpack Summary

Generally hard surface conditions are found throughout the region. Upper elevations are extensively wind affected and a surface crust exists below 1600 m. In the south, the underlying snowpack is well consolidated.

In the north, remnants of a melt-freeze crust from early December may be found 100 to 200 cm deep. Recent reports and snow profiles suggest that this layer is decomposing and/or bonding to surrounding snow and trending dormant... for now at least.

Terrain and Travel

  • Minimize your exposure time below cornices.
  • Cornices become weak with daytime heating or solar exposure.
  • Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.

Problems

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.