Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 3rd, 2021–Jan 4th, 2021

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.

Avoid overhead avalanche hazard today!

Ongoing strong SW wind may act as a natural trigger, and recent avalanches have been reaching valley bottom.

Weather Forecast

Temperatures and freezing levels dropped with the passage of last nights cold front. More snow is forecast for Monday as another front come through.

Today: Flurries (3cm). Alpine High -9 C. Ridge wind strong SW.

Monday: Flurries (10cm). Alpine Low -10 C, High -5 C. Light S wind.

Tuesday Flurries (7cm). Low -10 C, High -7 C. Light SW wind.

Snowpack Summary

50cm of snow in the past 48hrs and strong to extreme winds from the SW, triggered a widespread avalanche cycle last night. A recent surface hoar layer (Dec 26) is preserved, in isolated areas, down 70+cm. The Dec 13 surface hoar can still be found down 100cm and the Dec 7 crust/facet/surface hoar (aspect/elevation dependent) layer is down 120cm.

Avalanche Summary

There was widespread natural avalanche cycle yesterday morning (small to large), and overnight last night (large-very large).

Artillery control last night produce numerous avalanches up to size 4, notable avalanches from MacDonald West shoulder and Crossover resulted in avalanche deposits on the highway.

Confidence

Wind speed and direction is uncertain on Sunday

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.

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.

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.