Avalanche Forecast
Purcells
A new persistent weak layer has "woken-up" and warrants your attention, especially in the west/southwest parts of the region. Read the whole bulletin for details.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
- Stay off recent wind loaded areas until the slope has had a chance to stabilize.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
An interface buried up to 70cm deep has "woken-up" with recent snow loading, and large avalanches have been triggered easily in deeper snowpack areas to the west. This problem seems most reactive in south-facing terrain where buried crusts exist.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
- Assess start zones carefully and use safe travel techniques.
Avalanche Summary
In general, recent avalanche activity has consisted of mainly wind slabs (skier triggered and skier remote) in the size 1-1.5 range. However, we've also received reports of several persistent slab avalanches to size 2 from the west and southwest parts of the region where recent accumulations have been the highest. These avalanches, which have been skier-triggered or remotely triggered (from a distance), have been failing primarily on a buried sun crust buried mid-February.
Although deeper, persistent avalanche activity has become less frequent over the past week, light triggers in shallow rocky areas, as well as large triggers such as a cornice collapse or step down from a wind slab release still have the potential to result in large destructive avalanches.
Snowpack Summary
Since Saturday night between 5 and 30 centimetres of snow fell with the greatest accumulations occurring in the southwestern corner of the region. Winds have shifted these accumulations into deeper, reactive slabs in wind-exposed terrain. Up to 60cm below the surface you may find an interface that was buried mid-February consisting of older wind slabs, a sun crust on steep solar aspects, and spotty surface hoar on sheltered slopes. Reports suggest this interface may be most reactive on solar aspects where the buried sun crust coexists with small facets.
There are several persistent weak layers that have shown signs of improving but still remain suspect as low probability - high consequence avalanche problems. Two surface hoar layers buried in January are now 80-120 cm below the snow surface. Deeper in the snowpack (about 150 deep) is a facet/crust/surface hoar layer buried in December. Near the base of the snowpack is a crust/facet combo layer buried in late November. These layers may "wake-up" with strong inputs such as solar radiation, rapid loading/warming, or a cornice fall. Human triggering is also possible in shallow, rocky terrain.
Weather Forecast
Wednesday: Overcast skies with light flurries / Moderate to strong southwest winds / Alpine temperature of -12
Thursday: Overcast skies with light flurries / Moderate southerly winds / Alpine temperature of -7
Friday: Overcast skies with light flurries / Light and variable winds / Alpine temperature of -10
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Light amounts of new snow and ongoing strong winds will continue to promote wind slab formation in exposed higher elevation terrain. These slabs may be especially deep and touchy in wind-loaded areas on the leeward side of ridges.