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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 7th, 2023–Mar 8th, 2023

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

Regions

North Rockies, Kakwa, McGregor, Pine Pass, Tumbler.

Don't let good riding lure you into dangerous terrain. Avoid exposure to cornices and look to sheltered and shaded terrain for the best and safest riding.

Triggering large slab avalanches remains possible in steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Last weekend, several natural and human-triggered wind slabs were observed from a variety of aspects in alpine and treeline terrain as northeasterly winds impacted the region. Check out this MIN from Pine Pass on Saturday for an example.

Another MIN report from Pine Pass on Sunday shows a very large deep persistent slab from alpine terrain that was likely triggered by a cornice failure or wind-loading. This is the first observation in several weeks of deep persistent slab activity and is an indication that this layer should be on our radar, particularly in the shallower snowpack parts in the region.

Thank you for all the great MIN posts! Please keep sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Shifting winds have redistributed last week's storm snow into wind slabs on a variety of aspects while soft snow remains in sheltered areas. Storm snow overlies heavily wind-affected snow.

The middle of the snowpack is generally strong.

A weak layer of large and weak facets is found near the base of the snowpack. This layer is of greatest concern in shallow snowpack areas in the north and east of the region.

Weather Summary

Tuesday night

Mainly cloudy with flurries, up to 5 cm of accumulation. Alpine temperatures drop to a low of -10 C. Ridge wind southeast 20 to 45 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. Alpine temperatures reach a high of -8 C. Ridge wind southeast 30 to 50 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Thursday

Sunny with cloudy periods and isolated flurries. Alpine temperatures reach a high of -7 °C. Ridge wind southwest 15 to 35 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Friday

A mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries. Alpine temperatures reach a high of -10 C. Ridge wind southeast 30 to 50 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
  • Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
  • Minimize exposure to sun-exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.