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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 7th, 2022–Mar 8th, 2022

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

Regions

Little Yoho.

The cooler temperatures are helping lock in the buried sun crusts, but increased winds with new snow have formed small wind slabs in the alpine that are worth paying attention to in steep terrain.

Weather Forecast

Cooler temperatures are arriving following the passage of an intense cold front on Monday afternoon. Moderate northerly winds in the alpine with treeline temperatures steady near -15 C are expected on Tuesday. A mix of sun and cloud with no significant snow is forecast.

Snowpack Summary

5-15 cm of new snow over a sun crust on steep solar aspects that exists up to about 2600 m. Northerly winds forming new wind slabs in alpine terrain. February 16 sun crust down 30-50 cm on steep southerly aspects. January 30 facet or sun crust interface is down 60-90 cm. Lower snowpack is well settled. Typical shallow areas remain faceted.

Avalanche Summary

One cornice failure that triggered a size 2.5 slab avalanche was observed in the Rampart area near Sunshine in the last 48 hrs and a cornice failure near Crowfoot Glades was also observed. Ski cutting produced some small wind slabs at local ski areas. A couple slabs on steep solar slopes were observed Sunday with daytime heating.

Confidence

Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Monday

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.

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.